Fusion proteins for blood-brain barrier delivery

ABSTRACT

The invention provides compositions, methods, and kits for increasing transport of agents across the blood brain barrier while allowing their activity once across the barrier to remain substantially intact. The agents are transported across the blood brain barrier via one or more endogenous receptor-mediated transport systems. In some embodiments the agents are therapeutic, diagnostic, or research agents.

STATEMENT AS TO FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

This invention was made with the support of the United States government under Grant number R44-NS-44654 by the National Institute of Health. The United States Government may have certain rights in the invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Neurological disorders represent a major cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Despite extensive progress, current treatment options remain limited in some aspects. One major reason for this limitation is that the brain is unique in allowing only select access to molecules. While this is a useful protective mechanism, it also means that many potentially beneficial molecular entities do not have access to the central nervous system (CNS), and thus are unable to exert a therapeutic effect in many neurological disorders or other conditions of the CNS. The present invention represents an advance in providing accessibility of the CNS for molecular entities whose ability to cross the blood brain barrier is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention provides compositions. In some embodiments, the invention provides a composition containing a neurotherapeutic agent covalently linked to a structure that is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB), where the composition is capable of producing an average elevation of concentration in the brain of the neurotherapeutic agent of at least about 5 ng/gram brain following peripheral administration. In some embodiments, the neurotherapeutic agent has a molecular weight greater than about 400. In some embodiments, the neurotherapeutic agent alone does not cross the BBB in a therapeutically effective amount following peripheral administration. In some embodiments, the structure that is capable of crossing the BBB is a structure that crosses the BBB on an endogenous BBB receptor mediated transport system. In some embodiments, the endogenous BBB receptor mediated transport system is the insulin receptor, transferrin receptor, leptin receptor, lipoprotein receptor, or the IGF receptor. In some embodiments, the endogenous BBB receptor mediated transport system is the insulin BBB receptor mediated transport system. In some embodiments, the structure that is capable of crossing the BBB is an antibody, e.g., a monoclonal antibody (MAb), such as a chimeric MAb. In some embodiments, the chimeric antibody contains sufficient human sequences to avoid significant immunogenic reaction when administered to a human. In some embodiments, the neurotherapeutic agent is a neurotrophin. In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is a brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and other FGFs, neurotrophin (NT)-3, erythropoietin (EPO), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, TGF-β, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), heregulin, neuregulin, artemin, persephin, interleukins, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (CSF), granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, netrins, cardiotrophin-1, hedgehogs, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), midkine, pleiotrophin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), netrins, saposins, semaphorins, or stem cell factor (SCF). In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In some embodiments, the BDNF is a variant of native BDNF, such as a two amino acid carboxyl-truncated variant. In some embodiments, the BDNF is a human BDNF. In some embodiments, the BDNF contains a sequence that is at least about 80% identical to the sequence of amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24. In some embodiments, the neurotherapeutic agent is a neurotrophin, e.g., BDNF and the structure that is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB) is a MAb to an endogenous BBB receptor mediated transport system, e.g., is an antibody to the insulin BBB receptor mediated transport system. In some of these embodiments containing BDNF, the BDNF is a two amino acid carboxy-truncated BDNF. In some of these embodiments containing a MAb, the MAb is a chimeric MAb, such as a chimeric antibody that contains sufficient human sequences to avoid significant immunogenic reaction when administered to a human.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a composition containing a two-amino acid carboxy-truncated human BDNF covalently linked to a chimeric MAb to the human insulin BBB receptor mediated transport system containing sufficient human sequences to avoid significant immunogenic reaction when administered to a human, where the composition is capable of producing an average elevation of concentration in the brain of the neurotrophin of at least about 5 ng/gram brain following peripheral administration, and where the BDNF contains a sequence that is at least about 80% identical to the sequence of amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24. In some embodiments, the BDNF is covalently linked at its amino terminus to the carboxy terminus of the heavy chain of the MAb. In some embodiments, the BDNF is covalently linked at its amino terminus to the carboxy terminus of the light chain of the MAb. In some embodiments, the heavy chain of the MAb contains a sequence that is at least about 80% identical to amino acids 20-462 of SEQ ID NO: 24. In some embodiments, the composition further contains a linker between the heavy chain of the MAb and the BDNF, such as S—S-M. In some embodiments, the composition further includes the light chain of the MAb. In some embodiments, the light chain contains a sequence that is at least about 80% identical to amino acids 21-234 of SEQ ID NO: 36. In some embodiments, the MAb is glycosylated.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a pharmaceutical composition containing any of the preceding compositions and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a composition containing a composition that includes a neurotherapeutic agent covalently linked to a structure that is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB), where the composition is capable of producing an average elevation of concentration in the brain of the neurotherapeutic agent of at least about 5 ng/gram brain following peripheral administration; and further includes a second composition containing a second neurotherapeutic agent covalently linked to a second structure that is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB). In some embodiments, the first and second neurotherapeutic agents are different and the first and second structures capable of crossing the BBB are the same structure. In some embodiments, the structure capable of crossing the BBB is an antibody containing a first heavy chain and a second heavy chain. In some embodiments, the first neurotherapeutic agent is covalently linked to the first heavy chain of the antibody and the second neurotherapeutic agent is covalently linked to the second heavy chain of the antibody.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a composition containing an agent covalently linked to a chimeric MAb to the human BBB insulin receptor, where the MAb contains a heavy chain and a light chain. In some embodiments, the agent is a therapeutic agent. In some embodiments, the therapeutic agent is a neurotrophin, such as a BDNF. In some embodiments, the agent is a two amino acid carboxyl-terminal truncated BDNF. In some embodiments, the heavy chain of the MAb is covalently linked to the BDNF to form a fusion protein, and the sequence of the fusion protein contains a first sequence that is at least about 80% identical to a sequence that includes amino acids 20-462 of SEQ ID NO: 24 and further contains a second sequence that is at least about 80% identical to a sequence that includes amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24; optionally, there may also be a peptide linker between the carboxyl terminus of the first sequence and the amino terminus of the second sequence, such as S—S-M. In some embodiments, the light chain of the MAb contains a sequence that is at least about 80% identical to a sequence that includes amino acids 21-234 of SEQ ID NO: 36. In some embodiments, the MAb is glycosylated.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a composition for treating a neurological disorder containing a BDNF covalently linked to an immunoglobulin that is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier, where the composition is capable of crossing the BBB in an amount that is effective in treating the neurological disorder.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a fusion protein containing (i) a structure capable of crossing the BBB, covalently linked (optionally via a peptide linker) to (ii) a peptide that is active in the central nervous system (CNS), where the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and the peptide that is active in the central nervous system each retain an average of at least about 40% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities. In some embodiments, the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier crosses the BBB on an endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transporter. In some embodiments, the endogenous BBB receptor mediated transport system is the insulin receptor, transferrin receptor, leptin receptor, lipoprotein receptor, or the IGF receptor. In some embodiments, the endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transporter is the insulin transporter or the transferrin transporter. In some embodiments, the endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transporter is the insulin transporter, e.g., the human insulin transporter. In some embodiments, the structure capable of crossing the BBB is an antibody, e.g., a MAb such as a chimeric MAb. In some embodiments, the antibody is an antibody to an endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transporter, such as the insulin receptor, transferrin receptor, leptin receptor, lipoprotein receptor, or the IGF receptor, or such as the insulin transporter or the transferrin transporter, or such as the insulin transporter, e.g., the human insulin transporter. In some embodiments, the peptide that is active in the CNS is a neurotherapeutic agent. In some embodiments, the neurotherapeutic agent is a neurotrophin. In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is a brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and other FGFs, neurotrophin (NT)-3, erythropoietin (EPO), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, TGF-β, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), heregulin, neuregulin, artemin, persephin, interleukins, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (CSF), granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, netrins, cardiotrophin-1, hedgehogs, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), midkine, pleiotrophin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), netrins, saposins, semaphorins, or stem cell factor (SCF). In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is BDNF. In some embodiments, the BDNF is a truncated BDNF, e.g., carboxyl-truncated BDNF, such as a BDNF that is lacking the two carboxyl terminal amino acids.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a composition containing a cationic therapeutic peptide covalently linked to an immunoglobulin, where the cationic therapeutic peptide in the composition has a serum half-life that is an average of at least about 5-fold greater than the serum half-life of the cationic therapeutic peptide alone. In some embodiments, the cationic therapeutic peptide contains a neurotherapeutic agent. In some embodiments, the neurotherapeutic agent is a neurotrophin. In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and other FGFs, neurotrophin (NT)-3, erythropoietin (EPO), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, TGF-β, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), heregulin, neuregulin, artemin, persephin, interleukins, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (CSF), granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, netrins, cardiotrophin-1, hedgehogs, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), midkine, pleiotrophin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), netrins, saposins, semaphorins, or stem cell factor (SCF). In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is BDNF. In some embodiments, the immunoglobulin is an antibody to an endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transport system.

In another aspect, the invention provides methods. In one embodiment, the invention provides a method of transport of an agent active in the CNS from the peripheral circulation across the BBB in an effective amount, by peripherally administering to an individual the agent covalently attached to a structure that crosses the BBB, under conditions where the agent covalently attached to a structure that crosses the BBB is transported across the BBB in an effective amount. In some embodiments, the agent is a neurotherapeutic agent.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a method for treating a CNS disorder in an individual, e.g., a human, by peripherally administering to the individual an effective amount of a composition containing a neurotherapeutic agent covalently attached to a structure capable of crossing the BBB. In some embodiments, the structure capable of crossing the BBB contains an antibody to an insulin receptor and the therapeutic agent comprises a BDNF. In some embodiments, the administering is oral, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, rectal, transbuccal, intranasal, transdermal, or inhalation administering. In some embodiments, the administering is intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous. In some embodiments, the CNS disorder is an acute CNS disorder, such as spinal cord injury, focal brain ischemia and global brain ischemia. In embodiments in which the disorder is an acute disorder, in some embodiments the composition is administered only once. In embodiments in which the disorder is an acute disorder, in some embodiments the composition is administered at a frequency of no greater than about once per week. In some embodiments, the CNS disorder is a chronic disorder. In some embodiments, the chronic disorder is selected from the group consisting of chronic neurodegenerative disease, retinal ischemia, or depression. In some embodiments where the disorder is a chronic neurodegenerative disease, the chronic neurodegenerative disease is prion diseases, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis, motor neuron disease, Pick's disease, tuberous sclerosis, lysosomal storage disorders, Canavan's disease, Rett's syndrome, spinocerebellar ataxias, Friedreich's ataxia, optic atrophy, or retinal degeneration. In some embodiments, e.g., where the individual is a human, the individual is administered a dose of the composition that is about 1 to about 100 mg.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the invention are utilized, and the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1. Diagram showing genetic engineering of a eukaryotic expression vector encoding a fusion gene comprised of the variable region of the heavy chain (VH) of the chimeric HIRMAb, a genomic fragment encoding the constant region of human IgG1, which is comprised of 4 regions (CH1, hinge, CH2, and CH3), and the cDNA for the BDNF variant (vBDNF). Transcription of the gene is driven by the human IgG1 promoter (PRO). This vector produces the heavy chain (HC) of the fusion protein.

FIG. 2. Diagram showing genetic engineering of a bacterial expression plasmid encoding vBDNF cDNA with modified 5′- and 3′-linkers. (A) The 5′-end linker is given in Table 2, and is used to engineer clone 412. This 5′-end linker is a duplex of 2 ODNs, which are listed in Table 2, and include the 5′-end linker of vBDNF FWD-ODN (SEQ ID NO. 5), and the 5′-end linker of vBDNF REV-ODN (SEQ ID NO. 6). (B) The 3′-end linker is given in Table 2, and is used to engineer clone 413. This 3′-end linker is a duplex of 2 ODNs, which are listed in Table 2, and include the 3′-end linker of vBDNF FWD-ODN (SEQ ID NO. 7), and the 3′-end linker of vBDNF REV-ODN (SEQ ID NO. 8).

FIG. 3. Ethidium bromide stained agarose gels showing size of various constructs that are intermediates in construction of a tandem vector that produces the fusion protein. (A) Lanes 1-2: plasmid from FIG. 2 digested with NruI showing 0.4 kb vBDNF and 3.5 kb vector backbone. Lane 3: MW size standards ranging from 1.4-0.1 kb. Lane 4: MW size standards ranging from 23-0.6 kb. (B) Lane 1: the 0.4 kb vBDNF cDNA is produced by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using cDNA reverse transcribed from polyA+RNA isolated from human U87 glioma cells; the PCR primer sequences are given in Table 2. Lanes 2 and 3: same MW size standards as shown in panel A. (C) lane 1: clone 416 following digestion with NheI and BamHI; lane 2: negative clone; lane 3: clone 400 following digestion with NheI and BamHI: lanes 4 and 5: same MW size standards as shown in panel A. (D) PCR fragments of DNA encoding fusion protein HC (lane 1) and LC (lane 2); lanes 3-4: same MW size standards as shown in panel A. (E) lanes 1-4: 4 different but identical copies of clone 422a following digestion with NheI, showing release of 0.4 kb fusion protein HC variable region (VH) cDNA; lanes 5-6: same MW size standards as shown in panel A. (F) lanes 1-4: 5 different but identical copies of clone 423a following digestion with EcoRV and BamHI, showing release of 0.7 kb entire LC cDNA; lanes 5-6: same MW size standards as shown in panel A. (G) Restriction endonuclease mapping of tandem vector (FIG. 12) with PvuI (lane 1), and EcoRI-HindIII (lane 2). PvuI (single cut) produced the expected linear DNA band of ˜11 kb. Digestion with EcoRI and HindIII releases both the fusion protein light chain (i.e. 1.8 kb) and DHFR (i.e. 1.5 kb) expression cassettes. The ˜8 kb band represents the backbone vector with the fusion protein heavy chain expression cassette; lanes 3-4: same MW size standards as shown in panel A, albeit in reverse order.

FIG. 4. Nucleotide (SEQ ID NO: 21) and amino acid (SEQ ID NO: 22) sequence of fusion site between carboxyl terminus of the fusion protein HC and the amino terminus of the vBDNF. The 3-amino acid linker between the HIRMAb HC and the vBDNF is shown, as well as the new stop codon at the carboxyl terminus of vBDNF.

FIG. 5. Nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 23) of fusion protein HC gene cloned into plasmid 416. Italics: human IgG1 constant region introns; bold font: human IgG1 exon sequence; underline font: vBDNF.

FIG. 6. Amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 24) of the fusion protein HC. The 19 amino acid signal peptide is underlined, as is the 3-amino acid linker between the CH3 region and the vBDNF. The N-linked glycosylation consensus sequence within CH2 is underlined.

FIG. 7. The amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 25) of the different domains of the fusion protein HC are shown.

FIG. 8. Diagram showing production of the intronless eukaryotic expression vector, clone 422a, which encodes the fusion protein HC. The fusion protein HC cDNA was produced by PCR from cDNA generated by reverse transcriptase of RNA isolated from myeloma cells transfected with clone 416.

FIG. 9. (A) Nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 26) of the fusion protein HC cDNA inserted in clone 422a. (B) (SEQ ID NOS 27 & 28) Amino acid sequence of the fusion protein HC that is deduced from the nucleotide sequence shown in panel A. The sequence of the signal peptide is underlined.

FIG. 10. Diagram showing the cloning scheme for production of the intronless eukaryotic expression vector, clone 423a, which encodes the fusion protein LC. Clone 423a was generated from the pCD-Linker plasmid and from RT-PCR-generated cDNA. (A) mRNA was isolated from myeloma cells transfected with an expression vector producing the chimeric HIRMAb LC gene. These myeloma cells had been permanently transfected with a chromosomal fragment containing the intron/exon sequence of the human kappa LC gene with the VL of the chimeric HIRMAb LC. (B) cDNA of the chimeric HIRMAb LC was then produced by RT-PCR on the RNA isolated as described in (A).

FIG. 11. (A) Nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 29) of the fusion protein LC cDNA inserted in clone 423a. (B) (SEQ ID NOS 30 & 31) Amino acid sequence of the fusion protein LC that is deduced from the nucleotide sequence shown in panel A. The sequence of the signal peptide is underlined.

FIG. 12. Diagram showing the construction of a tandem vector encoding the HC and LC genes of the fusion protein. The TV was engineered from the cDNA expression vectors, clones 422a and 423a, for the HC and LC, respectively, as well as from a bacterial expression plasmid encoding the expression cassette for mouse DHFR.

FIGS. 13A and 13B. Nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 32) of the contiguous DNA sequence of the tandem vector encoding 3 expression cassettes. The sequence begins with the heavy chain gene expression cassette, which is shown in regular font, and is followed by the light chain gene expression cassette, which is shown in bold font, and is followed by a short linker, which is shown in underlined font, and is followed by the DHFR expression cassette, which is shown in italics font.

FIG. 14. Deduced amino acid sequence of the fusion protein HC based on tandem vector nucleotide sequence analysis (SEQ ID NOS 33 & 34). The signal peptide sequence is underlined.

FIG. 15. Deduced amino acid sequence of the fusion protein LC based on tandem vector nucleotide sequence analysis (SEQ ID NO 35 & 36). The signal peptide sequence is underlined.

FIG. 16. Deduced amino acid sequence of the DHFR based on tandem vector nucleotide sequence analysis (SEQ ID NO 37 & 38).

FIG. 17. Viable and total cell density of CHO cells in bioreactor maintained continuously for 50 days; the CHO cells had been permanently transfected with the tandem vector encoding the fusion protein.

FIG. 18. Structure of fusion protein, a bi-functional molecule that both (a) binds to the human BBB human insulin receptor (HIR) to enable transport across the BBB from blood, and (b) binds to the trkB on neurons to induce neuroprotection.

FIG. 19. Correlation of 2 different ‘sandwich’ immunoassays, where the secondary antibody is either directed against the Fc region of human IgG1 (x-axis) or against human BDNF (y-axis). The primary antibody in either assay is directed against the human kappa light chain. The measured level of fusion protein in CHO cell conditioned medium is the same whether the anti-Fc or the anti-BDNF antibody is used.

FIG. 20. Reducing (left) and non-reducing (right) sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of chimeric HIRMAb and fusion protein. Under reducing conditions, the size of the light chain, 30 kDa, is identical for chimeric HIRMAb and the fusion protein; the size of the heavy chain of fusion protein is about 15 kDa larger than the chimeric HIRMAb heavy chain, owing to the presence of the BDNF. Under non-reducing conditions, the chimeric HIRMAb and the fusion protein migrate as single hetero-tetrameric species with molecular weights of 180 and 200 kDa, respectively.

FIG. 21. (Left panel) Western blot with anti-human IgG primary antibody. The size of the heavy chain of the fusion protein and the chimeric HIRMAb is 64 kDa and 50 kDa, respectively, and the size of the light chain for either the fusion protein or the chimeric HIRMAb is 25 kDa. (Right panel) Western blot with anti-human BDNF antibody, which reacts with either fusion protein or BDNF, but not with chimeric HIRMAb. MW standards (STDS) are shown on the right side.

FIG. 22. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) of isoelectric point (pI) standards (lane 1), chimeric HIRMAb (lanes 2 and 4), BDNF (lane 3), and fusion protein (lane 5). Whereas BDNF is highly cationic with a pI>10, the pI of the fusion protein approximates the pI of the chimeric HIRMAb, which is about 8.5, and close to the theoretical pI of the fusion protein.

FIG. 23. (A) Outline for human insulin receptor (HIR) competitive ligand binding assay (CLBA). The HIR extracellular domain (ECD) is bound by the [¹²⁵1]-labeled murine HIRMAb, and this binding is competitively displaced by either the chimeric HIRMAb or the fusion protein, as shown in Panel B. (B) Displacement of binding of [¹²⁵1]-labeled murine HIRMAb to the HIR ECD by either chimeric HIRMAb or fusion protein. The affinity of the chimeric HIRMAb to the HIR ECD is high, and the affinity of the fusion protein for the HIR ECD is not significantly different from that of the chimeric HIRMAb. These results show that the fusion of the vBDNF to the carboxyl terminus of the chimeric HIRMAb heavy chain does not impair binding of the fusion protein to the HIR.

FIG. 24. (A) Design of trkB competitive ligand binding assay (CLBA). The advantage of the PEG linker is that this modification eliminates the high non-specific binding (NSB) of the cationic BDNF to the ELISA wells, which gives an assay with a high signal/noise ratio. The binding of the BDNF-PEG²⁰⁰⁰-biotin to the trkB ECD was detected with a peroxidase system using avidin and biotinylated peroxidase. (B) The binding of the BDNF-PEG²⁰⁰⁰-biotin to the trkB ECD is competitively displaced by recombinant BDNF. This binding data was analyzed by non-linear regression analysis to yield the K₁ of BDNF binding, 3.5±1.3 pmol/well and the NSB parameter. (C) The binding of the BDNF-PEG²⁰⁰⁰-biotin to the trkB ECD is competitively displaced by the fusion protein. This binding data was analyzed by non-linear regression analysis to yield the K₁ of fusion protein binding, 2.2±1.2 pmol/well, which is not significantly different than the K₁ for native BDNF. These data show that the affinity of the fusion protein for the trkB receptor is equal to that of native BDNF.

FIG. 25. (A) Design of hypoxia-reoxygenation neuroprotection assay in human neural SH-SY5Y cells. Exposure of the cells to retinoic acid for 7 days causes an up-regulation in the gene expression of trkB, the BDNF receptor. (B) Neuroprotection assay based on the measurement of mitochondrial respiration with 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT). The maximal neuroprotection is established with 4 nM BDNF, and 4 nM fusion protein yields a comparable level of neuroprotection in human neural cells. The MTT level does not return to that of non-hypoxic cells, because only about 50% of the cells induce trkB in response to retinoic acid.

FIG. 26. (A) Light micrograph of capillaries isolated from human brain, used as an in vitro model system of the human BBB. (B) Radio-receptor assay of binding of [³H]-fusion protein to the HIR on the human BBB; the binding is self-inhibited by unlabeled fusion protein. Fitting the saturation data to a Scatchard plot with a non-linear regression analysis yields the binding parameters: K_(D)=0.55±0.07 nM, B_(max)=1.35±0.10 pmol/mg_(p).

FIG. 27. Pharmacokinetics and brain uptake of fusion protein in the adult Rhesus monkey. (A) The serum concentration of [³H]-fusion protein, or [¹²⁵1]-murine HIRMAb, is plotted vs. time after a single intravenous injection of either protein in anesthetized adult Rhesus monkeys. (B) The serum radioactivity that is precipitable by trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is plotted vs time after a single intravenous injection of either [³H]-fusion protein in the anesthetized adult Rhesus monkey, or [³H]-BDNF in the anesthetized adult rat. (C) Capillary depletion analysis of brain distribution at 180 minutes after a single intravenous injection of either [³H]-fusion protein, or [³H]-mouse IgG2a, in the anesthetized adult Rhesus monkey. (D) Primate brain concentrations of fusion protein at 180 minutes after an intravenous injection of 373 μg fusion protein, as compared to the endogenous primate brain concentration of BDNF.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

I. Introduction

II. Definitions

III. The blood brain barrier

A. Transport systems

B. Structures that bind to a blood brain barrier receptor-mediated transport system

IV. Agents for transport across the blood brain barrier

A. Neurotrophins

B. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor

V. Compositions

VI. Nucleic acids, vecors, cells, and manufacture

A. Nucleic acids

B. Vectors

C. Cells

D. Manufacture

VII. Methods

VIII. Kits

Abbreviations

ALS amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

BBB blood-brain barrier

BDNF brain derived neurotrophic factor

BRB blood-retinal barrier

CDR complementarity determining region

CED convection enhanced diffusion

CHI first part of IgG constant region

CH2 second part of IgG constant region

CH3 third part of IgG constant region

CHO Chinese hamster ovarian cell

CHOP CHO cell host protein

CLBA competitive ligand binding assay

CMV cytomegalovirus

CNS central nervous system

DHFR dihydrofolate reductase

ECD extracellular domain

FR framework region

FWD forward

HIR human insulin receptor

HIRMAb monoclonal antibody to human insulin receptor

HIV human immune deficiency virus

IC intra-cerebral

ICC immunocytochemistry

ICV intra-cerebroventricular

ID injected dose

IEF isoelectric focusing

IGF insulin-like growth factor

IgG immunoglobulin G

LDL low density lipoprotein

MAb monoclonal antibody

MRT mean residence time

MTH molecular Trojan horse

MTX methotrexate

MW molecular weight

NSB non-specific binding

NT-3 neurotrophin-3

NT4/5 neurotrophin-4/5

ODN oligodeoxynucleotide

PEG polyethyleneglycol

PRO promoter

REV reverse

RMT receptor mediated transport

SDM site-directed mutagenesis

SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

SFM serum free medium

SNP single nucleotide polymorphism

TCA trichloroacetic acid

TFF tangential flow filtration

TFI transient forebrain ischemia

TfR transferrin receptor

TrkB BDNF receptor

TV tandem vector

vBDNF variant of BDNF

V_(D) volume of distribution

VH variable region of heavy chain

VL variable region of light chain

I. Introduction

The blood brain barrier is a limiting factor in the delivery of many peripherally-administered agents to the central nervous system. The present invention addresses three factors that are important in delivering an agent across the BBB to the CNS: 1) A pharmacokinetic profile for the agent that allows sufficient time in the peripheral circulation for the agent to have enough contact with the BBB to traverse it; 2) Modification of the agent to allow it to cross the BBB; and 3) Retention of activity of the agent once across the BBB. Various aspects of the invention address these factors, by providing fusion structures (e.g., fusion proteins) of an agent (e.g., a therapeutic agent) covalently linked to a structure that causes the agent to have increased serum half life, to be transported across the BBB, and/or to retain some or all of its activity in the brain while still attached to the structure.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides compositions and methods that utilize an agent covalently linked to a structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB). The compositions and methods are useful in transporting agents, e.g. therapeutic agents such as neurotherapeutic agents, from the peripheral blood and across the BBB into the CNS. Neurotherapeutic agents useful in the invention include neurotrophins, e.g. brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In some embodiments, the structure that is capable of crossing the BBB is capable of binding to an endogenous BBB receptor mediated transport system and crossing the BBB. In some embodiments, the structure that is capable of crossing the BBB is an antibody, e.g., a monoclonal antibody (MAb) such as a chimeric MAb.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a fusion protein that includes a structure capable of crossing the BBB covalently linked to a peptide that is active in the central nervous system (CNS), where the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and the peptide that is active in the central nervous system each retain a proportion (e.g., 10-100%) of their activities (or their binding affinities for their respective receptors), compared to their activities (or their binding affinities for their respective receptors) as separate entities.

In another aspect, the invention provides a composition containing a cationic therapeutic peptide covalently linked to an immunoglobulin, where the cationic therapeutic peptide in the composition has a serum half-life that is an average of at least about 5-fold greater than the serum half-life of the cationic therapeutic peptide alone.

The invention also provides nucleic acids coding for peptides and proteins. In some embodiments, the invention provides a single nucleic acid sequence that contains a gene coding for a light chain of an immunoglobulin and a gene coding for a fusion protein made up of a heavy chain of the immunoglobulin covalently linked to a peptide. In some embodiments the peptide of the fusion protein is a therapeutic peptide, e.g., a neurotherapeutic peptide such as a neurotrophin. The invention also provides vectors containing the nucleic acids of the invention, and cells containing the vectors. Further provided are methods of manufacturing an immunoglobulin fusion protein, where the fusion protein contains an immunoglobulin heavy chain fused to a therapeutic agent, where the methods include permanently integrating into a eukaryotic cell a single tandem expression vector in which both the immunoglobulin light chain gene and the gene for the immunoglobulin heavy chain fused to the therapeutic agent are incorporated into a single piece of DNA.

The invention further provides therapeutic compositions, such as pharmaceutical compositions that contain an agent covalently linked to a structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB) and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. In some embodiments, the invention provides a composition for treating a neurological disorder that includes a BDNF covalently linked to an immunoglobulin that is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier, wherein the composition is capable of crossing the BBB in an amount that is effective in treating the neurological disorder.

The invention also provides methods for treating a neurological disorder in an individual that include peripherally administering to the individual an effective amount of one or more of the compositions of the invention, optionally in combination with other therapy for the disorder.

II. Definitions

As used herein, an “agent” includes any substance that is useful in producing an effect, including a physiological or biochemical effect in an organism. A “therapeutic agent” is a substance that produces or is intended to produce a therapeutic effect, i.e., an effect that leads to amelioration, prevention, and/or complete or partial cure of a disorder. A “therapeutic effect,” as that term is used herein, also includes the production of a condition that is better than the average or normal condition in an individual that is not suffering from a disorder, i.e., a supranormal effect such as improved cognition, memory, mood, or other characteristic attributable at least in part to the functioning of the CNS, compared to the normal or average state. A “neurotherapeutic agent” is an agent that produces a therapeutic effect in the CNS. A “therapeutic peptide” includes therapeutic agents that consists of a peptide. A “cationic therapeutic peptide” encompasses therapeutic peptides whose isoelectric point is above about 7.4, in some embodiments, above about 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, or above about 12.5. A subcategory of cationic therapeutic peptides is cationic neurotherapeutic peptides.

As used herein, a “peptide that is active in the central nervous system (CNS)” includes peptides that have an effect when administered to the CNS. The effect may be a therapeutic effect or a non-therapeutic effect, e.g., a diagnostic effect or an effect useful in research. If the effect is a therapeutic effect, then the peptide is also a therapeutic peptide. A therapeutic peptide.that is also a peptide that is active in the CNS is encompassed by the term “neurotherapeutic peptide,” as used herein.

“Treatment” or “treating” as used herein includes achieving a therapeutic benefit and/or a prophylactic benefit. By therapeutic benefit is meant eradication or amelioration of the underlying disorder or condition being treated. For example, in an individual with a neurological disorder, therapeutic benefit includes partial or complete halting of the progression of the disorder, or partial or complete reversal of the disorder. Also, a therapeutic benefit is achieved with the eradication or amelioration of one or more of the physiological or psychological symptoms associated with the underlying condition such that an improvement is observed in the patient, notwithstanding the fact that the patient may still be affected by the condition. A prophylactic benefit of treatment includes prevention of a condition, retarding the progress of a condition (e.g., slowing the progression of a neurological disorder), or decreasing the likelihood of occurrence of a condition. As used herein, “treating” or “treatment” includes prophylaxis.

As used herein, the term “effective amount” can be an amount sufficient to effect beneficial or desired results, such as beneficial or desired clinical results, or enhanced cognition, memory, mood, or other desired CNS results. An effective amount is also an amount that produces a prophylactic effect, e.g., an amount that delays, reduces, or eliminates the appearance of a pathological or undesired condition. Such conditions of the CNS include dementia, neurodegenerative diseases as described herein, suboptimal memory or cognition, mood disorders, general CNS aging, or other undesirable conditions. An effective amount can be administered in one or more administrations. In terms of treatment, an “effective amount” of a composition of the invention is an amount that is sufficient to palliate, ameliorate, stabilize, reverse or slow the progression of a disorder, e.g., a neurological disorder. An “effective amount” may be of any of the compositions of the invention used alone or in conjunction with one or more agents used to treat a disease or disorder. An “effective amount” of a therapeutic agent within the meaning of the present invention will be determined by a patient's attending physician or veterinarian. Such amounts are readily ascertained by one of ordinary skill in the art and will a therapeutic effect when administered in accordance with the present invention. Factors which influence what a therapeutically effective amount will be include, the specific activity of the therapeutic agent being used, the type of disorder (e.g., acute vs. chronic neurological disorder), time elapsed since the initiation of the disorder, and the age, physical condition, existence of other disease states, and nutritional status of the individual being treated. Additionally, other medication the patient may be receiving will affect the determination of the therapeutically effective amount of the therapeutic agent to administer.

A “subject” or an “individual,” as used herein, is an animal, for example, a mammal. In some embodiments a “subject” or an “individual” is a human. In some embodiments, the subject suffers from a neurological disorder.

In some embodiments, an agent is “administered peripherally” or “peripherally administered.” As used herein, these terms refer to any form of administration of an agent, e.g., a therapeutic agent, to an individual that is not direct administration to the CNS, i.e., that brings the agent in contact with the non-brain side of the blood-brain barrier. “Peripheral administration,” as used herein, includes intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, transdermal, inhalation, transbuccal, intranasal, rectal, and oral administration.

A “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” or “pharmaceutically acceptable excipient” herein refers to any carrier that does not itself induce the production of antibodies harmful to the individual receiving the composition. Such carriers are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. A thorough discussion of pharmaceutically acceptable carriers/excipients can be found in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gennaro, A R., ed., 20th edition, 2000: Williams and Wilkins PA, USA. Exemplary pharmaceutically acceptable carriers can include salts, for example, mineral acid salts such as hydrochlorides, hydrobromides, phosphates, sulfates, and the like; and the salts of organic acids such as acetates, propionates, malonates, benzoates, and the like. For example, compositions of the invention may be provided in liquid form, and formulated in saline based aqueous solution of varying pH (5-8), with or without detergents such polysorbate-80 at 0.01-1%, or carbohydrate additives, such mannitol, sorbitol, or trehalose. Commonly used buffers include histidine, acetate, phosphate, or citrate.

A “recombinant host cell” or “host cell” refers to a cell that includes an exogenous polynucleotide, regardless of the method used for insertion, for example, direct uptake, transduction, f-mating, or other methods known in the art to create recombinant host cells. The exogenous polynucleotide may be maintained as a nonintegrated vector, for example, a plasmid, or alternatively, may be integrated into the host genome.

The terms “polypeptide,” “peptide” and “protein” are used interchangeably herein to refer to a polymer of amino acid residues. That is, a description directed to a polypeptide applies equally to a description of a peptide and a description of a protein, and vice versa. The terms apply to naturally occurring amino acid polymers as well as amino acid polymers in which one or more amino acid residues is a non-naturally occurring amino acid, e.g., an amino acid analog. As used herein, the terms encompass amino acid chains of any length, including full length proteins (i.e., antigens), wherein the amino acid residues are linked by covalent peptide bonds.

The term “amino acid” refers to naturally occurring and non-naturally occurring amino acids, as well as amino acid analogs and amino acid mimetics that function in a manner similar to the naturally occurring amino acids. Naturally encoded amino acids are the 20 common amino acids (alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine) and pyrolysine and selenocysteine. Amino acid analogs refers to compounds that have the same basic chemical structure as a naturally occurring amino acid, i.e., an a carbon that is bound to a hydrogen, a carboxyl group, an amino group, and an R group, such as, homoserine, norleucine, methionine sulfoxide, methionine methyl sulfonium. Such analogs have modified R groups (such as, norleucine) or modified peptide backbones, but retain the same basic chemical structure as a naturally occurring amino acid.

Amino acids may be referred to herein by either their commonly known three letter symbols or by the one-letter symbols recommended by the IUPAC-IUB Biochemical Nomenclature Commission. Nucleotides, likewise, may be referred to by their commonly accepted single-letter codes.

The term “nucleic acid” refers to deoxyribonucleotides, deoxyribonucleosides, ribonucleosides, or ribonucleotides and polymers thereof in either single- or double-stranded form. Unless specifically limited, the term encompasses nucleic acids containing known analogues of natural nucleotides which have similar binding properties as the reference nucleic acid and are metabolized in a manner similar to naturally occurring nucleotides. Unless specifically limited otherwise, the term also refers to oligonucleotide analogs including PNA (peptidonucleic acid), analogs of DNA used in antisense technology (phosphorothioates, phosphoroamidates, and the like). Unless otherwise indicated, a particular nucleic acid sequence also implicitly encompasses conservatively modified variants thereof (including but not limited to, degenerate codon substitutions) and complementary sequences as well as the sequence explicitly indicated. Specifically, degenerate codon substitutions may be achieved by generating sequences in which the third position of one or more selected (or all) codons is substituted with mixed-base and/or deoxyinosine residues (Batzer et al., Nucleic Acid Res. 19:5081 (1991); Ohtsuka et al., J. Biol. Chem. 260:2605-2608 (1985); and Cassol et al. (1992); Rossolini et al., Mol. Cell. Probes 8:91-98 (1994)).

The terms “isolated” and “purified” refer to a material that is substantially or essentially removed from or concentrated in its natural environment. For example, an isolated nucleic acid may be one that is separated from the nucleic acids that normally flank it or other nucleic acids or components (proteins, lipids, etc. . . . ) in a sample. In another example, a polypeptide is purified if it is substantially removed from or concentrated in its natural environment. Methods for purification and isolation of nucleic acids and peptides are well known in the art.

III. The Blood Brain Barrier

In one aspect, the invention provides compositions and methods that utilize an agent covalently linked to a structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB). The compositions and methods are useful in transporting agents, e.g. therapeutic agents such as neurotherapeutic agents, from the peripheral blood and across the blood brain barrier into the CNS. As used herein, the “blood-brain barrier” refers to the barrier between the peripheral circulation and the brain and spinal cord which is formed by tight junctions within the brain capillary endothelial plasma membranes, creates an extremely tight barrier that restricts the transport of molecules into the brain, even molecules as small as urea, molecular weight of 60 Da. The blood-brain barrier within the brain, the blood-spinal cord barrier within the spinal cord, and the blood-retinal barrier within the retina, are contiguous capillary barriers within the central nervous system (CNS), and are collectively referred to as the blood-brain barrier or BBB.

The BBB is a limiting step in the development of new neurotherapeutics, diagnostics, and research tools for the brain and CNS. Essentially 100% of large molecule therapeutics such as recombinant proteins, antisense drugs, gene medicines, monoclonal antibodies, or RNA interference (RNAi)-based drugs, do not cross the BBB in pharmacologically significant amounts. While it is generally assumed that small molecule drugs can cross the BBB, in fact, <2% of all small molecule drugs are active in the brain owing to the lack transport across the BBB. A molecule must be lipid soluble and have a molecular weight less than 400 Daltons (Da) in order to cross the BBB in pharmacologically significant amounts, and the vast majority of small molecules do not have these dual molecular characteristics. Therefore, most potentially therapeutic, diagnostic, or research molecules do not cross the BBB in pharmacologically active amounts. So as to bypass the BBB, invasive transcranial drug delivery strategies are used, such as intracerebro-ventricular (ICV) infusion, intracerebral (IC) administration, and convection enhanced diffusion (CED). Transcranial drug delivery to the brain is expensive, invasive, and largely ineffective. The ICV route delivers BDNF only to the ependymal surface of the brain, not into brain parenchyma, which is typical for drugs given by the ICV route. The IC administration of a neurotrophin, such as nerve growth factor (NGF), only delivers drug to the local injection site, owing to the low efficiency of drug diffusion within the brain. The CED of neurotrophin results in preferential fluid flow through the white matter tracts of brain, which causes demyelination, and astrogliosis.

The present invention offers an alternative to these highly invasive and generally unsatisfactory methods for bypassing the BBB, allowing agents, e.g., neuroprotective factors to cross the BBB from the peripheral blood. It is based on the use of endogenous transport systems present in the BBB to provide a mechanism to transport a desired substance from the peripheral blood to the CNS.

A. Transport Systems

In some embodiments, the invention provides compositions that include a structure that binds to a BBB receptor mediated transport system, coupled to an agent for which transport across the BBB is desired, e.g., a neurotherapeutic agent. The cornpositions and methods of the invention may utilize any suitable structure that is capable of transport by the selected endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transport system, and that is also capable of attachment to the desired agent. In some embodiments, the structure is an antibody. In some embodiment the antibody is a monoclonal antibody (MAb), e.g., a chimeric MAb.

Endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transport systems The BBB has been shown to have specific receptors that allow the transport from the blood to the brain of several macromolecules; these transporters are suitable as transporters for compositions of the invention. Endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transport systems useful in the invention include those that transport insulin, transferrin, insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF1 and IGF2), leptin, and lipoproteins. In some embodiments, the invention utilizes a structure that is capable of crossing the BBB via the endogenous insulin BBB receptor-mediated transport system, e.g., the human endogenous insulin BBB receptor-mediated transport system.

B. Structures That Bind to a BBB Receptor Mediated Transport System

One noninvasive approach for the delivery of drugs to the CNS is to attach the agent of interest to a structure, e.g., molecule that binds with receptors on the BBB. The structure then serves as a vector for transport of the agent across the BBB. Such structures are referred to herein as “molecular Trojan horses (MTH).” Typically, though not necessarily, a MTH is an exogenous peptide or peptidomimetic moiety (e.g., a MAb) capable of binding to an endogenous BBB receptor mediated transport system that traverses the BBB on the endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transport system. In certain embodiments, the MTH can be an antibody to a receptor of the transport system, e.g., the insulin receptor. In some embodiments, the antibody is a monoclonal antibody (MAb). In some embodiments, the MAb is a chimeric MAb. Thus, despite the fact that Abs normally are excluded from the brain, they can be an effective vehicle for the delivery of molecules into the brain parenchyma if they have specificity for receptors on the BBB.

Accordingly, antibodies are particularly useful in embodiments of the invention, especially MAbs. Certain receptor-specific MAbs may mimic the endogenous ligand and function as a MTH and traverse a plasma membrane barrier via transport on the specific receptor system. In certain embodiments, the MTH is a MAb to the human insulin receptor (HIR) on the human BBB. The HIR MAb binds an exofacial epitope on the human BBB HIR and this binding enables the MAb to traverse the BBB via a transport reaction that is mediated by the human BBB insulin receptor.

An “antibody,” as that term is used herein, includes reference to any molecule, whether naturally-occurring, artificially induced, or recombinant, which has specific immunoreactive activity. Generally, though not necessarily, an antibody is a protein that includes two molecules, each molecule having two different polypeptides, the shorter of which functions as the light chains of the antibody and the longer of which polypeptides function as the heavy chains of the antibody. Normally, as used herein, an antibody will include at least one variable region from a heavy or light chain. Additionally, the antibody may comprise combinations of variable regions. The combination may include more than one variable region of a light chain or of a heavy chain. The antibody may also include variable regions from one or more light chains in combination with variable regions of one or more heavy chains. An antibody can be an immunoglobulin molecule obtained by in vitro or in vivo generation of the humoral response, and includes both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore, the present invention includes antigen binding fragments of the antibodies described herein, such as Fab, Fab′, F(ab)₂, and Fv fragments, fragments comprised of one or more CDRs, single-chain antibodies (e.g., single chain Fv fragments (scFv)), disulfide stabilized (dsFv) Fv fragments, heteroconjugate antibodies (e.g., bispecific antibodies), pFv fragments, heavy chain monomers or dimers, light chain monomers or dimers, and dimers consisting of one heavy chain and one light chain. Such antibody fragments may be produced by chemical methods, e.g., by cleaving an intact antibody with a protease, such as pepsin or papain, or via recombinant DNA techniques, e.g., by using host cells transformed with truncated heavy and/or light chain genes. Synthetic methods of generating such fragments are also contemplated. Heavy and light chain monomers may similarly be produced by treating an intact antibody with a reducing agent, such as dithiothreitol or beta.-mercaptoethanol, or by using host cells transformed with DNA encoding either the desired heavy chain or light chain or both. An antibody immunologically reactive with a particular antigen can be generated in vivo or by recombinant methods such as selection of libraries of recombinant antibodies in phage or similar vectors.

A “chimeric” antibody includes an antibody derived from a combination of different mammals. The mammal may be, for example, a rabbit, a mouse, a rat, a goat, or a human. The combination of different mammals includes combinations of fragments from human and mouse sources.

In some embodiments, an antibody of the present invention is a monoclonal antibody (MAb), typically a human monoclonal antibody. Such antibodies are obtained from transgenic mice that have been “engineered” to produce specific human antibodies in response to antigenic challenge. In this technique, elements of the human heavy and light chain locus are introduced into strains of mice derived from embryonic stem cell lines that contain targeted disruptions of the endogenous heavy chain and light chain loci. The transgenic mice can synthesize human antibodies specific for human antigens, and the mice can be used to produce human antibody-secreting hybridomas.

For use in humans, a chimeric MAb is preferred that contains enough human sequence that it is not significantly immunogenic when administered to humans, e.g., about 80% human and about 20% mouse, or about 85% human and about 15% mouse, or about 90% human and about 10% mouse, or about 95% human and 5% mouse, or greater than about 95% human and less than about 5% mouse. Chimeric antibodies to the human BBB insulin receptor with sufficient human sequences for use in the invention are described in, e.g., Coloma et al. (2000) Pharm. Res. 17: 266-274, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. A more highly humanized form of the HIR MAb can also be engineered, and the humanized HIRMAb has activity comparable to the murine HIRMAb and can be used in embodiments of the invention. See, e.g., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20040101904, filed Nov. 27, 2002, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Antibodies used in the invention may be glycosylated or non-glycosylated. If the antibody is glycosylated, any pattern of glycosylation that does not significantly affect the function of the antibody may be used. Glycosylation can occur in the pattern typical of the cell in which the antibody is made, and may vary from cell type to cell type. For example, the glycosylation pattern of a monoclonal antibody produced by a mouse myeloma cell can be different than the glycosylation pattern of a monoclonal antibody produced by a transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell. In some embodiments, the antibody is glycosylated in the pattern produced by a transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell.

Accordingly, in some embodiments, a genetically engineered HIR MAb, with the desired level of human sequences, is fused to an agent for which transport across the BBB is desired, e.g. a neurotherapeutic agent such as a neurotrophin such as human BDNF, to produce a recombinant fusion protein that is a bi-functional molecule. The recombinant therapeutic neuroprotective factor/HIRMAb is able to both (i) cross the human BBB, via transport on the BBB HIR, and (ii) activate the factor's target, e.g., neuronal BDNF receptor, trkB, to cause neurotherapeutic effects once inside the brain, following peripheral administration.

IV. Agents for Transport Across the BBB

The agent for which transport across the BBB is desired may be any suitable substance for introduction into the CNS. Generally, the agent is a substance for which transport across the BBB is desired, which does not, in its native form, cross the BBB in significant amounts. The agent may be, e.g., a therapeutic agent, a diagnostic agent, or a research agent. Diagnostic agents include peptide radiopharmaceuticals, such as the epidermal growth factor (EGF) for imaging brain cancer (Kurihara and Pardridge (1999) Canc. Res. 54: 6159-6163), and amyloid peptides for imaging brain amyloid such as in Alzheimers disease (Lee et al (2002) J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metabol. 22: 223-231). In some embodiments, the agent is a therapeutic agent, such as a neurotherapeutic agent. Apart from neurotrophins, potentially useful therapeutic protein agents include recombinant enzymes for lysosomal storage disorders (see, e.g., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20050142141, filed Feb. 17, 2005, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety), monoclonal antibodies that either mimic an endogenous peptide or block the action of an endogenous peptide, polypeptides for brain disorders, such as secretin for autism (Ratliff-Schaub et al (2005) Autism 9: 256-265), opioid peptides for drug or alchol addiction (Cowen et al, (2004) J. Neurochem. 89: 273-285), or neuropeptides for apetite control (Jethwa et al (2005) Am. J. Physiol. 289: E301-305). In some embodiments, the agent is a neurotrophic factor, also referred to herein as a “neurotrophin.” Thus, in some embodiments, the invention provides compositions and methods that utilize a neurotrophin. In some embodiments, a single neurotrophin may be used. In others, combinations of neurotrophins are used. In some embodiments, the invention utilizes a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

A. Neurotrophins

Many neurotrophic factors are neuroprotective in brain, but do not cross the blood-brain barrier. These factors are suitable for use in the compositions and methods of the invention and include brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and other FGFs, neurotrophin (NT)-3, erythropoietin (EPO), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, TGF-β, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), heregulin, neuregulin, artemin, persephin, interleukins, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (CSF), granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, netrins, cardiotrophin-1, hedgehogs, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), midkine, pleiotrophin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), netrins, saposins, semaphorins, and stem cell factor (SCF). Particularly useful in some embodiments of the invention utilizing neurotrophins that are used as precursors for fusion proteins that cross the BBB are those that naturally form dimeric structures, similar to BDNF. Certain neurotrophins such as BDNF or NT-3 may form hetero-dimeric structures, and in some embodiments the invention provides a fusion protein constructed of one neurotrophin monomer fused to one chain (e.g., a light or heavy chain) of an antibody, e.g., of the HIRMAb, and another neurotrophin monomer fused to the second chain (e.g., a light or heavy chain) of the antibody. Typically, the molecular weight range of recombinant proteins that may be fused to the molecular Trojan horse ranges from 1000 Daltons to 500,000 Daltons.

B. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

One particularly useful neurotrophin in embodiments of the invention is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is a powerful neurotherapeutic that can be used as a neuroprotective agent in many acute and chronic brain diseases. However, the lack of transport of BDNF across the BBB has prevented the development of this molecule as a neurotherapeutic for the brain and spinal cord.

BDNF is a neurotherapeutic that is useful for the treatment of acute and chronic brain disease. In experimental stroke, the intracerebral administration of BDNF is neuroprotective. In global brain ischemia, such as might follow a cardiac arrest, the direct intracerebral administration of BDNF is neuroprotective. In experimental models of chronic neurodegenerative disease such as prion diseases, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the direct intracerebral injection of BDNF is neuroprotective.

In studies demonstrating the pharmacologic efficacy of BDNF in experimental brain disease, it is necessary to administer the neurotrophin directly into the brain following a transcranial drug delivery procedure. The transcranial drug delivery is required because BDNF does not cross the brain capillary wall, which forms the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in vivo. Owing to the lack of transport of BDNF across the BBB, it is not possible for the neurotrophin to enter the CNS, including the brain or spinal cord, following a peripheral administration unless the BBB is experimentally disrupted. Clinical trials showed that subcutaneous administration of BDNF was not effective in the treatment of chronic neurodegenerative conditions, which derives from the lack of transport of BDNF across the BBB. The lack of utility of BDNF as a CNS therapeutic following peripheral administration is expected and follows from the limiting role that is played by the BBB in the development of neurotherapeutics, especially large molecule drugs such as BDNF. BDNF does not cross the BBB, and the lack of transport of the neurotrophin across the BBB prevents the molecule from being pharmacologically active in the brain following peripheral administration. The lack of BDNF transport across the BBB means that the neurotrophin must be directly injected into the brain across the skull bone to be pharmacologically active in the CNS. However, when the BDNF is fused to a Trojan horse such as the HIR MAb, this neurotrophin is now able to enter brain from blood following a non-invasive peripheral route of administration such as intravenous intramuscular, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, or even oral administration. Owing to the BBB transport properties of this new class of molecule, it is not necessary to administer the BDNF directly into the CNS with an invasive delivery procedure requiring penetration of the skull or spinal canal. The reformulated fusion protein of the BDNF variant and the HIR MAb now enables entry of BDNF into the brain from the blood, and the development of BDNF as a neurotherapeutic for human diseases.

As used herein, the term “BDNF” includes the pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrugs, and prodrugs of the salts, polymorphs, hydrates, solvates, biologically-active fragments, biologically active variants and stereoisomers of the naturally-occurring BDNF, as well as agonist, mimetic, and antagonist variants of the naturally-occurring BDNF and polypeptide fusions thereof. Variants that include one or more deletions, substitutions, or insertions in the natural sequence of the BDNF, in particular truncated versions of the native BDNF comprising deletion of one or more amino acids at the amino terminus, carboxyl terminus, or both, are encompassed by the term “BDNF.” In some embodiments, the invention utilizes a carboxy-truncated variant of the native BDNF, e.g., a variant in which 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more than 10 amino acids are absent from the carboxy-terminus of the BDNF. BDNF variants include the complete 119 amino acid BDNF, the 117 or 118 amino acid variant with a truncated carboxyl terminus, variants with a truncated amino terminus, or variants with up to about a 20, 30, or 40% change in amino acid composition, as long as the fusion protein variant still binds to the brain neuroprotection receptor with high affinity. When an Ab, e.g., a MAb such as HIRMAb is used, additional fusion protein variants can be produced with the substitution of amino acids within either the framework region (FR) or the complementarity determining region (CDR) of either the light chain or the heavy chain of the Ab, e.g., HIRMAb, as long as the fusion protein binds with high affinity to the endogenous receptor, e.g., HIR to promote transport across the human BBB. Additional fusion protein variants can be produced by changing the composition or length of the linker peptide separating the fusion protein from the HIRMAb.

In some embodiments, the full-length 119 a.a. sequence of BDNF is utilized (SEQ ID NO: 39). In some embodiments, a one amino-acid carboxy-truncated variant of BDNF is utilized (amino acids 1-118 of SEQ ID NO: 39). In some embodiments, a two amino-acid carboxy-truncated variant of BDNF is utilized (amino acids 1-117 of SEQ ID NO: 39). In some embodiments, a three amino-acid carboxy-truncated variant of BDNF is utilized (amino acids 1-116 of SEQ ID NO: 39). In some embodiments, a four amino-acid carboxy-truncated variant of BDNF is utilized (amino acids 1-115 of SEQ ID NO: 39). In some embodiments, a five amino-acid carboxy-truncated variant of BDNF is utilized (amino acids 1-114 of SEQ ID NO: 39).

The sequence of human BDNF is given in SEQ ID NO: 39. In some embodiments, the invention utilizes a BDNF that is about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical with the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39, or a truncated version thereof, e.g., the 117 or 118 amino acid variant with a one- or two-amino acid truncated carboxyl terminus, or variants with a truncated amino terminus. In some embodiments, the invention utilizes a two amino-acid carboxy-truncated 117 amino acid variant human BDNF with a sequence that is at least about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99 or 100% identical to the sequence of amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24. In some embodiments, the invention utilizes a two amino-acid carboxy-truncated human 117 amino acid BDNF with a sequence that includes amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24.

Accordingly, BDNFs useful in the invention include peptides having at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, at least about 99%, or greater than 95% or greater than 99% sequence identity, e.g., 100% sequence identity, to the amino acid sequences disclosed herein.

Percent sequence identity is determined by conventional methods. See, for example, Altschul et al., Bull. Math. Bio. 48:603 (1986), and Henikoff and Henikoff, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:10915 (1992). Briefly, two amino acid sequences are aligned to optimize the alignment scores using a gap opening penalty of 10, a gap extension penalty of 1, and the “BLOSUM62” scoring matrix of Henikoff and Henikoff (ibid.). The percent identity is then calculated as: ([Total number of identical matches]/[length of the longer sequence plus the number of gaps introduced into the longer sequence in order to align the two sequences])(100).

Those skilled in the art appreciate that there are many established algorithms available to align two amino acid sequences. The “FASTA” similarity search algorithm of Pearson and Lipman is a suitable protein alignment method for examining the level of identity shared by an amino acid sequence disclosed herein and the amino acid sequence of another peptide. The FASTA algorithm is described by Pearson and Lipman, Proc. Nat'l Acad. Sci. USA 85:2444 (1988), and by Pearson, Meth. Enzymol. 183:63 (1990). Briefly, FASTA first characterizes sequence similarity by identifying regions shared by the query sequence (e.g., SEQ ID NO:24 or SEQ ID NO: 39) and a test sequence that have either the highest density of identities (if the ktup variable is 1) or pairs of identities (if ktup=2), without considering conservative amino acid substitutions, insertions, or deletions. The ten regions with the highest density of identities are then rescored by comparing the similarity of all paired amino acids using an amino acid substitution matrix, and the ends of the regions are “trimmed” to include only those residues that contribute to the highest score. If there are several regions with scores greater than the “cutoff” value (calculated by a predetermined forinula based upon the length of the sequence and the ktup value), then the trimmed initial regions are examined to determine whether the regions can be joined to form an approximate alignment with gaps. Finally, the highest scoring regions of the two amino acid sequences are aligned using a modification of the Needleman-Wunsch-Sellers algorithm (Needleman and Wunsch, J. Mol. Biol. 48:444 (1970); Sellers, SIAM J. Appl. Math. 26:787 (1974)), which allows for amino acid insertions and deletions. Illustrative parameters for FASTA analysis are: ktup=1, gap opening penalty=10, gap extension penalty=1, and substitution matrix=BLOSUM62. These parameters can be introduced into a FASTA program by modifying the scoring matrix file (“SMATRIX”), as explained in Appendix 2 of Pearson, Meth. Enzymol. 183:63 (1990).

The present invention also includes peptides having a conservative amino acid change, compared with an amino acid sequence disclosed herein. Many such changes have been described specifically. More generally, for example, variants can be obtained that contain one or more amino acid substitutions of SEQ ID NO:33, or truncated versions thereof, such as amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24. In these variants, e.g., an alkyl amino acid is substituted for an alkyl amino acid in a BDNF peptide amino acid sequence, an aromatic amino acid is substituted for an aromatic amino acid in a BDNF peptide amino acid sequence, a sulfur-containing amino acid is substituted for a sulfur-containing amino acid in a BDNF peptide amino acid sequence, a hydroxy-containing amino acid is substituted for a hydroxy-containing amino acid in a BDNF peptide amino acid sequence, an acidic amino acid is substituted for an acidic amino acid in a BDNF peptide amino acid sequence, a basic amino acid is substituted for a basic amino acid in BDNF peptide amino acid sequence, or a dibasic monocarboxylic amino acid is substituted for a dibasic monocarboxylic amino acid in a BDNF peptide amino acid sequence. Among the common amino acids, for example, a “conservative amino acid substitution” is illustrated by a substitution among amino acids within each of the following groups: (1) glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine, (2) phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, (3) serine and threonine, (4) aspartate and glutamate, (5) glutamine and asparagine, and (6) lysine, arginine and histidine. The BLOSUM62 table is an amino acid substitution matrix derived from about 2,000 local multiple alignments of protein sequence segments, representing highly conserved regions of more than 500 groups of related proteins (Henikoff and Henikoff, Proc. Nat'l Acad. Sci. USA 89:10915 (1992)). Accordingly, the BLOSUM62 substitution frequencies can be used to define conservative amino acid substitutions that may be introduced into the amino acid sequences of the present invention. Although it is possible to design amino acid substitutions based solely upon chemical properties (as discussed above), the language “conservative amino acid substitution” preferably refers to a substitution represented by a BLOSUM62 value of greater than −1. For example, an amino acid substitution is conservative if the substitution is characterized by a BLOSUM62 value of 0, 1, 2, or 3. According to this system, preferred conservative amino acid substitutions are characterized by a BLOSUM62 value of at least 1 (e.g., 1, 2 or 3), while more preferred conservative amino acid substitutions are characterized by a BLOSUM62 value of at least 2 (e.g., 2 or 3).

It also will be understood that amino acid sequences may include additional residues, such as additional N—or C-terminal amino acids, and yet still be essentially as set forth in one of the sequences disclosed herein, so long as the sequence retains sufficient biological protein activity to be functional in the compositions and methods of the invention.

V. Compositions

Compositions of the invention are useftil in one or more of: increasing serum half-life of a cationic compound, transporting an agent across the BBB, and/or retaining activity of the agent once transported across the BBB. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the invention provides compositions containing a neurotherapeutic agent covalently linked to a structure that is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB), where the composition is capable of producing an average elevation of concentration in the brain of the neurotherapeutic agent of at least about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 ng/gram brain following peripheral administration. The invention also provides compositions containing an agent that is covalently linked to a chimeric MAb to the human BBB insulin receptor. The invention further provides a fusion protein containing a structure capable of crossing the BBB, covalently linked to a peptide that is active in the central nervous system (CNS), where the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and the peptide that is active in the central nervous system each retain an average of at least about 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities. In certain embodiments, the invention further provides compositions that increase the serum half-life of cationic substances. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions that contain one or more compositions of the invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

In some embodiments, the invention provides compositions containing a neurotherapeutic agent covalently linked to a structure that is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB), where the composition is capable of producing an average elevation of concentration in the brain of the neurotherapeutic agent of at least about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 ng/gram brain following peripheral administration.

“Elevation” of the agent is an increase in the brain concentration of the agent compared to the concentration of the agent administered alone (i.e., not covalently linked to a structure that is capable of crossing the BBB). In the case of agents for which only a small amount of the agent alone normally crosses the BBB, “elevation” may be an increase in the agent compared to resting brain levels. “Average” refers to the mean of at least three, four, five, or more than five measurements, preferably in different individuals. The individual in which the elevation is measured is a mammal, such as a rat, or, preferably, a primate, e.g., a monkey. An example of measurements of elevation of the level of a neurotherapeutic agent (BDNF) is given in Example 7.

In some embodiments, the structure that is capable of crossing the BBB utilizes an endogenous BBB receptor mediated transport system, such as a system that utilizes the insulin receptor, transferrin receptor, leptin receptor, LDL receptor, or IGF receptor. In some embodiments, the endogenous BBB receptor mediated transport system is the insulin BBB receptor mediated transport system. In some embodiments, the structure that is capable of crossing the BBB is an antibody, e.g., a monoclonal antibody (MAb) such as a chimeric MAb. The antibody can be a chimeric antibody with sufficient human sequence that it is suitable for administration to a human. The antibody can be glycosylated or nonglycosylated; in some embodiments, the antibody is glycosylated, e.g., in a glycosylation pattern produced by its synthesis in a CHO cell. In embodiments in which the structure is an antibody, the covalent linkage between the antibody and the neurotherapeutic agent may be a linkage between any suitable portion of the antibody and the neurotherapeutic agent, as long as it allows the antibody-agent fusion to cross the blood brain barrier and the neurotherapeutic agent to retain a therapeutically useful portion of its activity within the CNS. In certain embodiments, the covalent link is between one or more light chains of the antibody and the neurotherapeutic agent. In the case of a peptide neurotherapeutic agent (e.g., a neurotrophin such as BDNF), the peptide can be covalently linked by its carboxy or amino terminus to the carboxy or amino terminus of the light chain (LC) or heavy chain (HC) of the antibody. Any suitable linkage may be used, e.g., carboxy terminus of light chain to amino terminus of peptide, carboxy terminus of heavy chain to amino terminus of peptide, amino terminus of light chain to amino terminus of peptide, amino terminus of heavy chain to amino terminus of peptide, carboxy terminus of light chain to carboxy terminus of peptide, carboxy terminus of heavy chain to carboxy terminus of peptide, amino terminus of light chain to carboxy terminus of peptide, or amino terminus of heavy chain to carboxy terminus of peptide. In some embodiments, the linkage is from the carboxy terminus of the HC to the amino terminus of the peptide. It will be appreciated that a linkage between terminal amino acids is not required, and any linkage which meets the requirements of the invention may be used; such linkages between non-terminal amino acids of peptides are readily accomplished by those of skill in the art.

In some embodiments, the invention utilizes BDNF, either the native form or truncated variants. Strikingly, it has been found that fusion proteins of these forms of BDNF retain full transport and activity. This is surprising because the neurotrophin is translated in vivo in cells as a prepro form and the prepro-BDNF is then converted into mature BDNF following cleavage of the prepro peptide from the amino terminus of the BDNF. In order to preserve the prepro form of the BDNF, and the subsequent cleavability of the prepro peptide, it would seem to be necessary to fuse the prepro BDNF to the amino terminus of either the HC or the LC of the targeting MAb. This could be inhibit the binding of the MAb for the target antigen, since the complementarity determining regions (CDR) of the heavy chain or light chain of the MAb molecule, which comprise the antigen binding site of the MAb, are situated near the amino terminus of the heavy chain or light chains of the antibody. Therefore, fusion of the prepro-neurotrophin to the amino terminus of the antibody chains is expected to result in not only impairment of antibody activity, but also an impairment of antibody folding following translation. The present invention shows the unexpected finding that it is possible to fuse the mature form of a neurotrophin, such as a BDNF variant (vBDNF), to the carboxyl terminus of the heavy chain of the HIR MAb. The production of this new genetically engineered fusion protein creates a bi-functional molecule that binds with high affinity to both the HIR and the trkB receptors.

In some embodiments, more than one molecule of the same neurotherapeutic agent is attached to the structure that crosses the BBB. For example, in compositions of the invention where a single neurotrophin is attached to an antibody, one molecule of the neurotrophin is attached to each heavy chain, naturally producing a structure that is ideal for homodimer formation. This is the case for compositions containing BDNF. Neurotrophins such as BDNF require an obligatory formation of a homo-dimeric structure to be biologically active, and to bind with high affinity to the cognate receptor, e.g. TrkB. A naturally occurring homo-dimeric structure between two BDNF molecules is formed when the neurotrophin is fused to a carboxyl terminus of the CH3 region of an IgG molecule, as illustrated in FIG. 18. Without being bound by theory, it is thought that this may account for the unexpected finding of essentially 100% of activity for the BDNF when bound to the IgG (see, e.g., FIG. 24).

In some embodiments, more than one type of neurotherapeutic agent can be attached to the structure that is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier. In some embodiments, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more than 10 different neurotherapeutic agents may be attached to the structure that is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier. In certain embodiments, 2 different neurotrophins are attached to an antibody to an endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transport system. Any combination of neurotrophins may be used. Particularly useful in some embodiments of the invention are neurotrophins used as precursors for fusion proteins that cross the BBB are those that naturally form dimeric structures, similar to BDNF. Certain neurotrophins such as BDNF or NT-3 may form hetero-dimeric structures, and in some embodiments the invention provides a fusion protein constructed of one neurotrophin monomer fused to one chain (e.g., heavy chain) of an antibody, e.g., of the HIRMAb, and another neurotrophin monomer fused to the second chain of the antibody. Typically, the molecular weight range of recombinant proteins that may be fused to the molecular Trojan horse ranges from 1000 Daltons to 500,000 Daltons.

In some embodiments, more than one type of structure capable of crossing the BBB, e.g., molecular Trojan horse, may be used. The different structures may be covalently attached to a single neurotherapeutic agent, e.g., a single neurotrophin such as BDNF, or multiple neurotherapeutics, e.g., multiple neurotrophins, or any combination thereof. Thus, for example, in some embodiments either with the same neurotrophin attached to each MTH or a different neurotrophin attached, or combinations of neurotrophins attached. Thus the neuroprotective recombinant protein can be fused to multiple molecular Trojan horses that undergo receptor-mediated transport across the blood-brain barrier, including monoclonal antibodies to the insulin receptor, transferrin receptor, insulin-like growth factor (IGF) receptor, or the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor or the endogenous ligand, including insulin, transferrin, the IGFs, or LDL. Ligands that traverse the blood-brain barrier via absorptive-mediated transport may also be used as molecular Trojan horses including cationic proteins, or carbohydrate bearing proteins that bind to membrane lectins. The molecular weight range of molecular Trojan horses is 1000 Daltons to 500,000 Daltons.

The covalent linkage between the structure capable of crossing the BBB and the neurotherapeutic agent may be direct (e.g., a peptide bond between the terminal amino acid of one peptide and the terminal amino acid of the other peptide to which it is linked) or indirect, via a linker. If a linker is used, it may be any suitable linker, e.g., a peptide linker. If a peptide linker is used, it may be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more than 10 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, a three amino acid linker is used. In some embodiments, the linker has the sequence ser-ser-met. The covalent linkage may be cleavable, however this is not a requirement for activity of the system in some embodiments; indeed, an advantage of these embodiments of the present invention is that the fusion protein, without cleavage, is partially or fully active both for transport and for activity once across the BBB.

In some embodiments, a noncovalent attachment may be used. An example of noncovalent attachment of the MTH, e.g., MAb, to the large molecule therapeutic neuroprotective factor is avidin/streptavidin-biotin attachment. Such an approach is further described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/858,729, entitled “Anti-growth factor receptor avidin fusion proteins as universal vectors for drug delivery,” filed Apr. 21, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The neurotherapeutic agent may be any suitable neurotherapeutic agent, such as a neurotrophin. In some embodiments, the neurotherapeutic agent is a neurotrophin such as brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and other FGFs, neurotrophin (NT)-3, erythropoietin (EPO), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, TGF-β, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), heregulin, neuregulin, artemin, persephin, interleukins, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (CSF), granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, netrins, cardiotrophin-1, hedgehogs, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), midkine, pleiotrophin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), netrins, saposins, semaphorins, or stem cell factor (SCF). In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is BDNF. The BDNF may be native BDNF or a variant BDNF. Some embodiments utilize a two amino acid carboxyl-truncated variant. The BDNF can be a human BDNF. In some embodiments, the BDNF contains a sequence that is about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to.the sequence of amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24.

In some embodiments, the invention provides compositions containing a neurotherapeutic agent covalently linked to a structure that is capable of crossing the BBB where the composition is capable of producing an average elevation of concentration in the brain of the neurotherapeutic agent of at least about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 ng/gram brain following peripheral administration, where the neurotherapeutic agent is a neurotrophin and the structure that is capable of crossing the BBB is a MAb to an endogenous BBB receptor mediated transport system. The antibody can be glycosylated or nonglycosylated; in some embodiments, the antibody is glycosylated, e.g., in a glycosylation pattern produced by its synthesis in a CHO cell. In certain embodiments, the neurotrophin is BDNF, e.g., a two amino acid carboxy-truncated BDNF. The MAb can be an antibody to the insulin BBB receptor mediated transport system, e.g., a chimeric MAb. The antibody can be a chimeric antibody with sufficient human sequence that it is suitable for administration to a human. In some embodiments, the insulin receptor is a human insulin receptor and the BDNF is a human BDNF. In some embodiments, the BDNF contains a sequence that is about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to the sequence of amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24. The BDNF can be covalently linked at its amino terminus to the carboxy terminus of the heavy chain of the MAb, optionally with a linker between the termini, such as the three amino-acid linker ser-ser-met. In some embodiments, the heavy chain of the MAb contains a sequence that is about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to amino acids 20-462 of SEQ ID NO: 24. In some embodiments, the light chain of the MAb contains a sequence that is about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to amino acids 21-234 of SEQ ID NO: 36.

In some embodiments, the invention provides compositions containing a fusion MAb, where the fusion MAb is an antibody to the human insulin BBB receptor mediated transport system linked to a two-amino acid carboxy-truncated human BDNF. The BDNF is linked via its amino terminus to the carboxy terminus of the heavy chain of the antibody by a ser-ser-met linker. The antibody is a chimeric antibody with sufficient human sequence that it is suitable for administration to a human. In some embodiments, the invention provides compositions containing a fusion MAb with a heavy chain-BDNF fusion, where the fusion MAb light chain is at least about 60%, or about 70%, or about 80%, or about 90%, or about 95%, or about 99% identical to, or is substantially 100% identical to, amino acids 21-234 of SEQ ID NO: 36, and the heavy chain-BDNF fusion is at least about 60%, or about 70%, or about 80%, or about 90%, or about 95%, or about 99% identical to, or is substantially 100% identical to amino acids 20-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24.

The invention also provides compositions containing an agent that is covalently linked to a chimeric MAb to the human BBB insulin receptor. In some embodiments, the heavy chain of the MAb is covalently linked to the agent to form a fusion protein. The agent can be any agent described herein, i.e., any agent for which transport across the BBB is desired. In some embodiments, the agent is a therapeutic agent, such as a neurotherapeutic agent as described herein, e.g., a neurotrophin such as BDNF. In certain embodiments, the BDNF is a two amino acid carboxyl-terminal truncated BDNF.

Strikingly, it has been found that multifunctional fusion proteins of the invention, e.g., difunctional fusion proteins, retain a high proportion of the activity of the separate portions, e.g., the portion that is capable of crossing the BBB and the portion that is active in the CNS. Accordingly, the invention further provides a fusion protein containing a structure capable of crossing the BBB, covalently linked to a peptide that is active in the central nervous system (CNS), where the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and the peptide that is active in the central nervous system each retain an average of at least about 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities. In some embodiments, the invention provides a fusion protein containing a structure capable of crossing the BBB, covalently linked to a peptide that is active in the central nervous system (CNS), where the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and the peptide that is active in the central nervous system each retain an average of at least about 50% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities. In some embodiments, the invention provides a fusion protein containing a structure capable of crossing the BBB, covalently linked to a peptide that is active in the central nervous system (CNS), where the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and the peptide that is active in the central nervous system each retain an average of at least about 60% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities. In some embodiments, the invention provides a fusion protein containing a structure capable of crossing the BBB, covalently linked to a peptide that is active in the central nervous system (CNS), where the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and the peptide that is active in the central nervous system each retain an average of at least about 70% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities. In some embodiments, the invention provides a fusion protein containing a structure capable of crossing the BBB, covalently linked to a peptide that is active in the central nervous system (CNS), where the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and the peptide that is active in the central nervous system each retain an average of at least about 80% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities. In some embodiments, the invention provides a fusion protein containing a structure capable of crossing the BBB, covalently linked to a peptide that is active in the central nervous system (CNS), where the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and the peptide that is active in the central nervous system each retain an average of at least about 90% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities. In some embodiments, the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier retains at least about 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% of its activity, compared to its activity as a separate entity, and the peptide that is active in the central nervous system retains at least about 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% of its activity, compared to its activity as a separate entity.

As used herein, “activity” includes physiological activity (e.g., ability to cross the BBB and/or therapeutic activity), and also binding affinity of the structures for their respective receptors.

Transport of the structure capable of crossing the BBB across the BBB may be compared for the structure alone and for the structure as part of a fusion structure of the invention by standard methods. For example, pharmacokinetics and brain uptake of the fusion structure, e.g., fusion protein, by a model animal, e.g., a mammal such as a primate, may be used. Such techniques are illustrated in Example 7, which demonstrates pharmacokinetics and brain uptake of a fusion protein of the invention by the adult Rhesus monkey. Similarly, standard models for the function of an agent, e.g. the therapeutic or protective function of a therapeutic agent, may also be used to compare the function of the agent alone and the function of the agent as part of a fusion structure of the invention. See, e.g., Example 5, which demonstrates the activity of a neurotrophin alone and the same neurotrophin bound to a fusion protein in a model system (hypoxia-reoxygenation in human neural cells). In both Example 5 and Example 7, the fusion protein of the invention retained about 100% of the transport ability and the therapeutic function of its individual components, i.e., a structure capable of crossing the BBB (a MAb to the human insulin receptor) and a therapeutic agent (BDNF).

Alternatively, binding affinity for receptors may be used as a marker of activity. Binding affmity for the receptor is compared for the structure alone and for the structure when part of the fusion protein. A suitable type of binding affmity assay is the competitive ligand binding assay (CLBA). For example, for fusion proteins containing MAbs to endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transport systems fused to a neurotrophin, a CLBA may be used both to assay the affinity of the MAb for its receptor and the neurotrophin for its receptor, either as part of the fusion protein or as separate entities, and percentage affinity calculated. If, as in some embodiments, the peptide that is active in the CNS is highly ionic, e.g., cationic, causing a high degree of non-specific binding, suitable measures should be taken to eliminate the nonspecific binding. See, e.g., Example 4. “Average” measurements are the average of at least three separate measurements.

In embodiments of the above fusion proteins, the structure capable of crossing the blood brain barrier crosses the BBB on an endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transporter, such as a transporter selected from the group consisting of the insulin transporter, the transferrin transporter, the leptin transporter, the LDL transporter, and the IGF receptor. In some embodiments, the endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transporter is selected from the group consisting of the insulin transporter and the transferrin transporter. In some embodiments, the endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transporter is the insulin transporter, e.g., the human insulin transporter. The structure capable of crossing the BBB can be an antibody, e.g., a MAb such as a chimeric MAb. The antibody can be an antibody to an endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transporter, as described herein. The peptide that is active in the CNS can be a neurotherapeutic agent, e.g., a neurotrophin. In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is selected from the group consisting of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and other FGFs, neurotrophin (NT)-3, erythropoietin (EPO), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, TGF-β, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), heregulin, neuregulin, artemin, persephin, interleukins, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (CSF), granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, netrins, cardiotrophin-1, hedgehogs, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), midkine, pleiotrophin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), netrins, saposins, semaphorins, or stem cell factor (SCF). In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is BDNF such as a truncated BDNF, e.g., a carboxyl-truncated BDNF. The carboxyl-truncated BDNF is lacking the two carboxyl terminal amino acids in some embodiments. The structure capable of crossing the BBB and the neurotherapeutic agent are covalently linked by a peptide linker in some embodiments.

In certain embodiments, the invention provides compositions that increase the serum half-life of cationic substances. One limitation for many current therapeutics, especially cationic therapeutic peptides (e.g., BDNF) is their rapid clearance from the circulation. The positive charge on the cationic substance, such as cationic peptides, rapidly interacts with negative charges on cell membranes, which triggers an absorptive-mediated endocytosis into the cell, particularly liver and spleen. This is true not only for neurotherapeutics (where rapid clearance means only limited contact with the BBB and thus limited ability to cross the BBB) but for other agents as well, such as cationic import peptides such as the tat peptide, or cationic proteins (e.g. protamine, polylysine, polyarginine) that bind nucleic acids, or cationic proteins such as avidin that bind biotinylated drugs. Surprisingly, fusion compositions of the invention that include a cationic therapeutic peptide covalently linked to an immunoglobulin show greatly enhanced serum half-life compared to the same peptide when it was not covalently part of a fusion immunoglobulin. This is an important finding, because it shows that the fusion of a highly cationic protein, e.g., BDNF, to an immunoglobulin, e.g. HIRMAb, has two important and unexpected effects: 1) it greatly enhances the serum half-life of the cationic protein, and 2) it does not accelerate the blood clearance of the immunoglobulin to which it is attached, e.g., the HIRMAb. Prior work shows that the noncovalent attachment of a cationic therapeutic peptide, e.g., the cationic BDNF to a monoclonal antibody greatly accelerated the blood clearance of the antibody, owing to the cationic nature of the BDNF, which greatly enhances hepatic uptake. The work in FIG. 27A and Example 7 shows that when the cationic therapeutic peptide, e.g., BDNF is re-engineered as an IgG fusion protein, the plasma pharmacokinetics is dominated by the IgG moiety, and that the blood level of the BDNF remains high for a prolonged period; indeed, the serum half-life of the BDNF in the fusion protein is at least about 100 times that of the BDNF alone.

Accordingly, in some embodiments, the invention provides composition comprising a cationic therapeutic peptide covalently linked to an immunoglobulin, wherein the cationic therapeutic peptide in the composition has a serum half-life that is an average of at least about 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, or more than about 100-fold greater than the serum half-life of the cationic therapeutic peptide alone. In some embodiments, the invention provides a composition comprising a cationic therapeutic peptide covalently linked to an immunoglobulin, wherein the cationic therapeutic peptide in the composition has a mean residence time (MRT) in the serum that is an average of at least about 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, or more than about 100-fold greater than the serum half-life of the cationic therapeutic peptide alone. In some embodiments, the invention provides composition comprising a cationic therapeutic peptide covalently linked to an immunoglobulin, wherein the cationic therapeutic peptide in the composition has a systemic clearance rate that is an average of at least about 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, or more than about 100-fold slower than the systemic clearance rate of the cationic therapeutic peptide alone. In some embodiments, the invention provides composition comprising a cationic therapeutic peptide covalently linked to an immunoglobulin, wherein the cationic therapeutic peptide in the composition has average blood level after peripheral administration that is an average of at least about 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, or more than about 100-fold greater than the average blood level after peripheral administration of the cationic therapeutic peptide alone.

In some embodiments, the cationic therapeutic peptide comprises a neurotherapeutic agent. Examples of neurotherapeutic agents that are cationic peptides interferons, interleukins, cytokines, or growth factors with an isoelectric point (pI) above 8. In some embodiments, the neurotherapeutic agent is a neurotrophin. Cationic peptide neurotrophins include BDNF, NT-3, NT4/5, NGF, and FGF-2. In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is BDNF.

In some embodiments, the immunoglobulin is an antibody to an endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transport system. In some embodiments, the endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transport system is selected from the group consisting of the insulin BBB transport system, the BBB transferrin receptor, the BBB leptin receptor, the BBB IGF receptor, or the BBB lipoprotein receptor. In some embodiments, the antibody is an antibody to the endogenous insulin BBB receptor-mediated transport system. Antibodies can be any suitable antibody as described herein.

Pharmaceutical compositions The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions that contain one or more compositions of the invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. A thorough discussion of pharmaceutically acceptable carriers/excipients can be found in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gennaro, A R, ed., 20th edition, 2000: Williams and Wilkins PA, USA. Pharmaceutical compostions of the invention include compositions suitable for administration via any peripheral route, including intravenous, subcutaneous, intrmuscular, intraperitoneal injection; oral, rectal, transbuccal, pulmonary, transdermal, intranasal, or any other suitable route of peripheral administration.

The compostions of the invention are particular suited for injection, e.g., as a pharmaceutical composition for intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intraperitonal administration. Aqueous compositions of the present invention comprise an effective amount of a composition of the present invention, which may be dissolved or dispersed in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or aqueous medium. The phrases “pharmaceutically or pharmacologically acceptable” refer to molecular entities and compositions that do not produce an adverse, allergic or other untoward reaction when administered to an animal, e.g., a human, as appropriate. As used herein, “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” includes any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents and the like. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutically active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active ingredient, its use in the therapeutic compositions is contemplated. Supplementary active ingredients can also be incorporated into the compositions.

Exemplary pharmaceutically acceptable carriers for injectable compositions can include salts, for example, mineral acid salts such as hydrochlorides, hydrobromides, phosphates, sulfates, and the like; and the salts of organic acids such as acetates, propionates, malonates, benzoates, and the like. For example, compositions of the invention may be provided in liquid form, and formulated in saline based aqueous solution of varying pH (5-8), with or without detergents such polysorbate-80 at 0.01-1%, or carbohydrate additives, such mannitol, sorbitol, or trehalose. Commonly used buffers include histidine, acetate, phosphate, or citrate. Under ordinary conditions of storage and use, these preparations can contain a preservative to prevent the growth of microorganisms. The prevention of the action of microorganisms can be brought about by various antibacterial and antiftngal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol; phenol, sorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars or sodium chloride. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by the use in the compositions of agents delaying absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate, and gelatin.

For human administration, preparations meet sterility, pyrogenicity, general safety, and purity standards as required by FDA and other regulatory agency standards. The active compounds will generally be formulated for parenteral administration, e.g., formulated for injection via the intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, intralesional, or intraperitoneal routes. The preparation of an aqueous composition that contains an active component or ingredient will be known to those of skill in the art in light of the present disclosure. Typically, such compositions can be prepared as injectables, either as liquid solutions or suspensions; solid forms suitable for use in preparing solutions or suspensions upon the addition of a liquid prior to injection can also be prepared; and the preparations can also be emulsified.

Sterile injectable solutions are prepared by incorporating the active compounds in the required amount in the appropriate solvent with various of the other ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the various sterilized active ingredients into a sterile vehicle which contains the basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, methods of preparation include vacuum-drying and freeze-drying techniques which yield a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.

Upon formulation, solutions will be administered in a manner compatible with the dosage formulation and in such amount as is therapeutically effective. The formulations are easily administered in a variety of dosage forms, such as the type of injectable solutions described above, but drug release capsules and the like can also be employed

The term “unit dose” refers to physically discrete units suitable for use in a subject, each unit containing a predetermined-quantity of the therapeutic composition calculated to produce the desired responses, discussed above, in association with its administration, i.e., the appropriate route and treatment regimen. The quantity to be administered, both according to number of treatments and unit dose, depends on the subject to be treated, the state of the subject and the protection desired. The person responsible for administration will, in any event, determine the appropriate dose for the individual subject.

The active therapeutic agents may be formulated within a mixture to comprise about 0.0001 to 1.0 milligrams, or about 0.001 to 0.1 milligrams, or about 1.0 to 100 milligrams or even about 0.01 to 1.0 grams per dose or so. Multiple doses can also be administered. In some embodiments, a dosage of about 2.5 to about 25 mg of a fusion protein of the invention is used as a unit dose for administration to a human, e.g., about 2.5 to about 25 mg of a fusion protein of BDNF and a HIR MAb.

In addition to the compounds formulated for parenteral administration, such as intravenous or intramuscular injection, other alternative methods of administration of the present invention may also be used, including but not limited to intradermal administration (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,997,501; 5,848,991; and 5,527,288), pulmonary administration (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,361,760; 6,060,069; and 6,041,775), buccal administration (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,375,975; and 6,284,262), transdermal administration (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,348,210; and 6,322,808) and transmucosal administration (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,284). All such methods of administration are well known in the art. One may also use intranasal administration of the present invention, such as with nasal solutions or sprays, aerosols or inhalants. Nasal solutions are usually aqueous solutions designed to be administered to the nasal passages in drops or sprays. Nasal solutions are prepared so that they are similar in many respects to nasal secretions. Thus, the aqueous nasal solutions usually are isotonic and slightly buffered to maintain a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. In addition, antimicrobial preservatives, similar to those used in ophthalmic preparations and appropriate drug stabilizers, if required, may be included in the formulation. Various commercial nasal preparations are known and include, for example, antibiotics and antihistamines and are used for asthma prophylaxis.

Additional formulations, which are suitable for other modes of administration, include suppositories and pessaries. A rectal pessary or suppository may also be used. Suppositories are solid dosage forms of various weights and shapes, usually medicated, for insertion into the rectum or the urethra. After insertion, suppositories soften, melt or dissolve in the cavity fluids. For suppositories, traditional binders and carriers generally include, for example, polyalkylene glycols or triglycerides; such suppositories may be formed from mixtures containing the active ingredient in any suitable range, e.g., in the range of 0.5% to 10%, preferably 1%-2%.

Oral formulations include such normally employed excipients as, for example, pharmaceutical grades of mannitol, lactose, starch, magnesium stearate, sodium saccharine, cellulose, magnesium carbonate and the like. These compositions take the form of solutions, suspensions, tablets, pills, capsules, sustained release formulations, or powders. In certain defined embodiments, oral pharmaceutical compositions will comprise an inert diluent or assimilable edible carrier, or they may be enclosed in a hard or soft shell gelatin capsule, or they may be compressed into tablets, or they may be incorporated directly with the food of the diet. For oral therapeutic administration, the active compounds may be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of ingestible tablets, buccal tables, troches, capsules, elixirs, suspensions, syrups, wafers, and the like. Such compositions and preparations can contain at least 0.1% of active compound. The percentage of the compositions and preparations may, of course, be varied, and may conveniently be between about 2 to about 75% of the weight of the unit, or between about 25-60%. The amount of active compounds in such therapeutically useful compositions is such that a suitable dosage will be obtained.

The tablets, troches, pills, capsules and the like may also contain the following: a binder, such as gum tragacanth, acacia, cornstarch, or gelatin; excipients, such as dicalcium phosphate; a disintegrating agent, such as corn starch, potato starch, alginic acid and the like; a lubricant, such as magnesium stearate; and a sweetening agent, such as sucrose, lactose or saccharin may be added or a flavoring agent, such as peppermint, oil of wintergreen, or cherry flavoring. When the dosage unit form is a capsule, it may contain, in addition to materials of the above type, a liquid carrier. Various other materials may be present as coatings or to otherwise modify the physical form of the dosage unit. For instance, tablets, pills, or capsules may be coated with shellac, sugar or both. A syrup of elixir may contain the active compounds sucrose as a sweetening agent, methylene and propyl parabens as preservatives, a dye and flavoring, such as cherry or orange flavor. In some embodiments, an oral pharmaceutical composition may be enterically coated to protect the active ingredients from the environment of the stomach; enteric coating methods and formulations are well-known in the art.

VI. Nucleic Acids, Vectors, Cells, and Manufacture

The invention also provides nucleic acids, vectors, cells, and methods of production.

A. Nucleic acids

In some embodiments, the invention provides nucleic acids that code for proteins or peptides of the invention. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a single nucleic acid sequence containing a first sequence coding for a light chain of an immunoglobulin and second sequence coding a heavy chain of the immunoglobulin, where either the first sequence also codes for a peptide that is expressed as a fusion protein of the peptide covalently linked to the light chain, or the second sequence also codes for a peptide that is expressed as a fusion protein of the peptide covalently linked to the heavy chain. In some embodiments, the invention provides nucleic acid sequences, and in some embodiments the invention provides nucleic acid sequences that are at least about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to a particular nucleotide sequence. For example, in some embodiments, the invention provides a nucleic acid containing a first sequence that is at least about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to nucleotides 58-1386 of SEQ ID NO: 33 and a second sequence that is at least about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to nucleotides 1396-1746 of SEQ ID NO: 33.

For sequence comparison, of two nucleic acids, typically one sequence acts as a reference sequence, to which test sequences are compared. When using a sequence comparison algorithm, test and reference sequences are entered into a computer, subsequence coordinates are designated, if necessary, and sequence algorithm program parameters are designated. Default program parameters can be used, or alternative parameters can be designated. The sequence comparison algorithm then calculates the percent sequence identities for the test sequences relative to the reference sequence, based on the program parameters.

A “comparison window”, as used herein, includes reference to a segment of any one of the number of contiguous positions selected from the group consisting of from 20 to 600, usually about 50 to about 200, more usually about 100 to about 150 in which a sequence may be compared to a reference sequence of the same number of contiguous positions after the two sequences are optimally aligned. Methods of alignment of sequences for comparison are well-known in the art. Optimal alignment of sequences for comparison can be conducted, including but not limited to, by the local homology algorithm of Smith and Waterman (1970) Adv. Appl. Math. 2:482c, by the homology alignment algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch (1970) J. Mol. Biol. 48:443, by the search for similarity method of Pearson and Lipman (1988) Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci. USA 85:2444, by computerized implementations of these algorithms (GAP, BESTFIT, FASTA, and TFASTA in the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package, Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Dr., Madison, Wis.), or by manual alignment and visual inspection (see, e.g., Ausubel et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology (1995 supplement)).

One example of an algorithm that is suitable for determining percent sequence identity and sequence similarity are the BLAST and BLAST 2.0 algorithms, which are described in Altschul et al. (1977) Nuc. Acids Res. 25:3389-3402, and Altschul et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410, respectively. Software for performing BLAST analyses is publicly available through the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The BLAST algorithm parameters W, T, and X determine the sensitivity and speed of the alignment. The BLASTN program (for nucleotide sequences) uses as defaults a wordlength (W) of 11, an expectation (E) or 10, M=5, N=4 and a comparison of both strands. The BLAST algorithm is typically performed with the “low complexity” filter turned off. The BLAST algorithm also performs a statistical analysis of the similarity between two sequences (see, e.g., Karlin and Altschul (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:5873-5787). One measure of similarity provided by the BLAST algorithm is the smallest sum probability (P(N)), which provides an indication of the probability by which a match between two nucleotide or amino acid sequences would occur by chance. For example, a nucleic acid is considered similar to a reference sequence if the smallest sum probability in a comparison of the test nucleic acid to the reference nucleic acid is less than about 0.2, more preferably less than about 0.01, and most preferably less than about 0.001.

The invention provides nucleic acids that code for any of the peptides of the invention. In some embodiments, the invention provides a single nucleic acid sequence containing a gene coding for a light chain of an immunoglobulin and a gene coding for a fusion protein, where the fusion protein includes a heavy chain of the immunoglobulin covalently linked to a peptide. In some embodiments, the peptide is a therapeutic peptide. In some embodiments the peptide is a neurotherapeutic peptide, e.g., a neurotrophin such as BDNF. In some embodiments, the BDNF is a two amino acid carboxy-truncated BDNF. In some embodiments, the immunoglobulin is an IgG. In some embodiments, the IgG is a MAb, such as a chimeric MAb. The antibody can be an antibody to a transport system, e.g., an endogenous BBB receptor-mediated transport system such as the endogenous BBB receptor-mediated insulin transport system. In some embodiments, the endogenous BBB receptor-mediated insulin transport system is a human endogenous BBB receptor-mediated insulin transport system and wherein the peptide to which the immunoglobulin heavy chain is covalently linked is human BDNF. Any suitable peptide, neurotherapeutic peptide, neurotrophin, BDNF, antibody, monoclonal antibody, or chimeric antibody, as described herein, may be coded for by the nucleic acid, combined as a fusion protein and coded for in a single nucleic acid sequence. As is well-known in the art, owing to the degeneracy of the genetic code, any combination of suitable codons may be used to code for the desired fusion protein. In addition, other elements useful in recombinant technology, such as promoters, termination signals, and the like, may also be included in the nucleic acid sequence. Such elements are well-known in the art. In addition, all nucleic acid sequences described and claimed herein include the complement of the sequence.

In some embodiments that code for a BDNF, e.g., a variant BDNF, as a component of the fusion protein, the BDNF contains a sequence that is about 60, 70,80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to the sequence of amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24. In some embodiments, the BDNF is linked at its amino terminus to carboxy terminus of the heavy chain of the immunoglobulin, e.g., MAb. The heavy chain of the MAb can comprise a sequence that is about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99 or 100% identical to amino acids 20-462 of SEQ ID NO: 24. In some embodiments, the light chain of the immunoglobulin, e.g., MAb, comprises a sequence that is about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99 or 100% identical to amino acids 21-234 of SEQ ID NO: 36. The nucleic acid can further contain a nucleic acid sequence that codes for a peptide linker between the heavy chain of the MAb and the BDNF. In some embodiments, the linker is S—S-M. The nucleic acid may further contain a nucleic acid sequence coding for a signal peptide, wherein the signal peptide is linked to the heavy chain. Any suitable signal peptide, as known in the art or subsequently developed, may be used. In some embodiments, the signal peptide attached to the heavy chain comprises a sequence that is about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to amino acids 1-19 of SEQ ID NO: 24. In some embodiments, the nucleic acid contains a nucleic acid sequence coding for another signal peptide, wherein the other signal peptide is linked to the light chain. The signal peptide linked to the light chain can comprise a sequence that is about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to amino acids 1-20 of SEQ ID NO: 36. The nucleic acid can contain a nucleic acid sequence coding for a selectable marker. In some embodiments the selectable marker is DHFR. The sequence of the DHFR can be about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to amino acids 1-187 of SEQ ID NO: 38.

In certain embodiments, the invention provides a nucleic acid comprising a first sequence that codes for a neurotherapeutic peptide, e.g., a neurotrophin such as BDNF, in the same open reading frame as a second sequence that codes for an immunoglobulin component. The immunoglobulin component can be, e.g., a light chain or a heavy chain, e.g., that is at least about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to nucleotides 58-1386-of SEQ ID NO: 33 and a second sequence that is at least about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to nucleotides 1396-1746 of SEQ ID NO: 33. In some embodiments, the nucleic acid also contains a third sequence that is at least about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to nucleotides 61-702 of SEQ ID NO: 35. In some embodiments, the nucleic acid further contains a fourth sequence that codes for a first signal peptide and a fifth sequence that codes for a second signal peptide. In some embodiments, the fourth sequence is at least about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to nucleotides 1-57 of SEQ ID NO: 33 and the fifth sequence is at least about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to nucleotides 1-60 of SEQ ID NO: 35. In some embodiments, the nucleic acid further contains a sequence that codes for a selectable marker, such as dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). In some embodiments, the sequence that codes for the DHFR is at least about 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 99, or 100% identical to nucleotides 1-561 of SEQ ID NO: 37.

B. Vectors

The invention also provides vectors. The vector can contain any of the nucleic acid sequences described herein. In some embodiments, the invention provides a single tandem expression vector containing nucleic acid coding for an antibody heavy chain fused to a peptide, e.g., a therapeutic peptide such as a neurotrophin, and nucleic acid coding for a light chain of the antibody, all incorporated into a single piece of nucleic acid, e.g., a single piece of DNA. The single tandem vector can also include one or more selection and/or amplification genes. A method of making an exemplary vector of the invention is provided in the Examples. However, any suitable techniques, as known in the art, may be used to construct the vector.

The use of a single tandem vector has several advantages over previous techniques. The transfection of a eukaryotic cell line with immunoglobulin G (IgG) genes generally involves the co-transfection of the cell line with separate plasmids encoding the heavy chain (HC) and the light chain (LC) comprising the IgG. In the case of a IgG fusion protein, the gene encoding the recombinant therapeutic protein may be fused to either the HC or LC gene. However, this co-transfection approach makes it difficult to select a cell line that has equally high integration of both the HC and LC-fusion genes, or the HC-fusion and LC genes. The approach to manufacturing the fusion protein utilized in certain embodiments of the invention is the production of a cell line that is permanently transfected with a single plasmid DNA that contains all the required genes on a single strand of DNA, including the HC-fusion protein gene, the LC gene, the selection gene, e.g. neo, and the amplification gene, e.g. the dihydrofolate reductase gene. As shown in the diagram of the fusion protein tandem vector in FIG. 12, the HC-fusion gene, the LC gene, the neo gene, and the DHFR gene are all under the control of separate, but tandem promoters and separate but tandem transcription termination sequences. Therefore, all genes are equally integrated into the host cell genome, including the fusion gene of the therapeutic protein and either the HC or LC IgG gene.

C. Cells

The invention further provides cells that incorporate one or more of the vectors of the invention. The cell may be a prokaryotic cell or a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the cell is a eukaryotic cell. In some embodiments, the cell is a mouse myeloma hybridoma cell. In some embodiments, the cell is a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell. Exemplary methods for incorporation of the vector(s) into the cell are given in the Examples. However, any suitable techniques, as known in the art, may be used to incorporate the vector(s) into the cell. In some embodiments, the invention provides a cell capable of expressing an immunoglobulin fusion protein, where the cell is a cell into which has been permanently introduced a single tandem expression vector, where both the immunoglobulin light chain gene and the gene for the immunoglobulin heavy chain fused to the therapeutic agent, are incorporated into a single piece of nucleic acid, e.g., DNA. In some embodiments, the invention provides a cell capable of expressing an immunoglobulin fusion protein, where the cell is a cell into which has been permanently introduced a single tandem expression vector, where both the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene and the gene for the immunoglobulin light chain fused to the therapeutic agent, are incorporated into a single piece of nucleic acid, e.g., DNA. The introduction of the tandem vector may be by, e.g., permanent integration into the chromsomal nucleic acid, or by, e.g., introduction of an episomal genetic element.

D. Methods of manufacture

In addition, the invention provides methods of manufacture. In some embodiments, the invention provides a method of manufacturing an immunoglobulin fusion protein, where the fusion protein contains an immunoglobulin heavy chain fused to a therapeutic agent, by permanently introducing into a eukaryotic cell a single tandem expression vector, where both the immunoglobulin light chain gene and the gene for the immunoglobulin heavy chain fused to the therapeutic agent, are incorporated into a single piece of nucleic acid, e.g., DNA. In some embodiments, the invention provides a method of manufacturing an immunoglobulin fusion protein, where the fusion protein contains an immunoglobulin light chain fused to a therapeutic agent, by permanently introducing into a eukaryotic cell a single tandem expression vector, where both the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene and the gene for the immunoglobulin light chain fused to the therapeutic agent, are incorporated into a single piece of nucleic acid, e.g., DNA. In some embodiments, the introduction of the vector is accomplished by permanent integration into the host cell genome. In some embodiments, the introduction of the vector is accomplished by introduction of an episomal genetic element containing the vector into the host cell. Episomal genetic elements are well-known in the art In some embodiments, the therapeutic agent is a neurotherapeutic agent. In some embodiments, the single piece of nucleic acid further includes one or more genes for selectable markers. In some embodiments, the single piece of nucleic acid further includes one or more amplification genes. In some embodiments, the immunoglobulin is an IgG, e.g., a MAb such as a chimeric MAb. The methods may further include expressing the immunoglobulin fusion protein, and/or purifying the immunoglobulin fusion protein. Exemplary methods for manufacture, including expression and purification, are given in the Examples.

However, any suitable techniques, as known in the art, may be used to manufacture, optionally express, and purify the proteins. These include non-recombinant techniques of protein synthesis, such as solid phase synthesis, manual or automated, as first developed by Merrifield and described by Stewart et al. in Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis (1984). Chemical synthesis joins the amino acids in the predetermined sequence starting at the C-terminus. Basic solid phase methods require coupling the C-terminal protected α-amino acid to a suitable insoluble resin support. Amino acids for synthesis require protection on the α-amino group to ensure proper peptide bond formation with the preceding residue (or resin support). Following completion of the condensation reaction at the carboxyl end, the α-amino protecting group is removed to allow the addition of the next residue. Several classes of α-protecting groups have been described, see Stewart et al. in Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis (1984), with the acid labile, urethane-based tertiary-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) being the historically preferred. Other protecting groups, and the related chemical strategies, may be used, including the base labile 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (FMOC). Also, the reactive amino acid sidechain functional groups require blocking until the synthesis is completed. The complex array of functional blocking groups, along with strategies and limitations to their use, have been reviewed by Bodansky in Peptide Synthesis (1976) and, Stewart et al. in Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis (1984).

Solid phase synthesis is initiated by the coupling of the described C-terminal α-protected amino acid residue. Coupling requires activating agents, such as dicyclohexycarbodiimide (DCC) with or without 1-hydroxybenzo-triazole (HOBT), diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIIPC), or ethyldimethylaminopropylcarbodiimide (EDC). After coupling the C-terminal residue, the α-amino protected group is removed by trifluoroacetic acid (25% or greater) in dichloromethane in the case of acid labile tertiary-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) groups. A neutralizing step with triethylamine (10%) in dichloro-methane recovers the free amine (versus the salt). After the C-terminal residue is added to the resin, the cycle of deprotection, neutralization and coupling, with intermediate wash steps, is repeated in order to extend the protected peptide chain. Each protected amino acid is introduced in excess (three to five fold) with equimolar amounts of coupling reagent in suitable solvent. Finally, after the completely blocked peptide is assembled on the resin support, reagents are applied to cleave the peptide form the resin and to remove the side chain blocking groups. Anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (HF) cleaves the acid labile tertiary-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) chemistry groups. Several nucleophilic scavengers, such as dimethylsulfide and anisole, are included to avoid side reactions especially on side chain functional groups.

VII. Methods

The invention also provides methods. In some embodiments, the invention provides methods for transport of an agent active in the CNS across the BBB in an effective amount. In some embodiments, the invention provides therapeutic, diagnostic, or research methods. Diagnostic methods include the development of peptide radiopharmaceuticals capable of transport across the BBB, such as the fusion of a peptide ligand, or peptidomimetic MAb for an endogenous receptor in the brain, followed by the radiolabelling of the fusion protein, followed by systemic administration, and external imaging of the localization within the brain of the peptide radiopharmaceutical.

Neurotrophin drug development illustrates the problems encountered when development of the delivery of agents active in the CNS, e.g., CNS drug development, is undertaken in the absence of a parallel program in delivery across the BBB, e.g., CNS drug delivery. The advances in the molecular neurosciences during the Decade of the Brain of the 1990s led to the cloning, expression and purification of more than 30 different neurotrophic factors, including BDNF, nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and other FGFs, neurotrophin (NT)-3, erythropoietin (EPO), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, TGF-β, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), heregulin, neuregulin, artemin, persephin, interleukins, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (CSF), granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, netrins, cardiotrophin-1, hedgehogs, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), midkine, pleiotrophin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), netrins, saposins, semaphorins, or stem cell factor (SCF). These natural substances are powerful restorative agents in the brain and produce neuroprotection when the protein is injected directly into the brain. In addition, the direct injection of BDNF into the brain is a potent stimulant to new brain cell formation and neurogenesis.

Neurotrophins such as BDNF must be injected directly into the brain to achieve a therapeutic effect, because the neurotrophin does not cross the BBB. Therefore, it is not expected that neurotrophic factors will have beneficial effects on brain disorders following the peripheral (intravenous, subcutaneous) administration of these molecules. During the 1990s, there were attempts to develop neurotrophic factors for the treatment of a chronic neurodegenerative disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The clinical protocols administered the neurotrophic factor by subcutaneous administration, even though the neurotrophin must pass the BBB to be therapeutic in neurodegenerative disease. The clinical trials went forward and all neurotrophin phase III clinical trials for ALS failed. Subsequently, attempts were made to administer neurotrophins via intra-cerebroventricular (ICV) infusion, or convection enhanced diffusion (CED), but these highly invasive modes of delivery were either ineffective or toxic. Given the failure of neurotrophin molecules, per se, as neurotherapeutics, more recent theories propose the development of neurotrophin small molecule mimetics, neurotrophin gene therapy, or neurotrophin stem cell therapy.

However, neurotherapeutics can be developed as drugs for peripheral routes of administration, providing the neurotherapeutic is enabled to cross the BBB. Attachment of the neurotherapeutic, e.g. a neurotrophin such as BDNF to a MTH, e.g., the chimeric HIRMAb, offers a new approach to the non-invasive delivery of neurotherapeutics to the CNS in animals, e.g., mammals such as humans for the treatment of acute brain and spinal cord conditions, such as focal brain ischemia, global brain ischemia, and spinal cord injury, and chronic treatment of neurodegenerative disease, including prion diseases, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), ALS, multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis, motor neuron disease, Pick's disease, tuberous sclerosis, lysosomal storage disorders, Canavan's disease, Rett's syndrome, spinocerebellar ataxias, Friedreich's ataxia, optic atrophy, and retinal degeneration.

Accordingly, in some embodiments the invention provides methods of transport of an agent active in the CNS from the peripheral circulation across the BBB in an effective amount, where the agent is covalently attached to a structure that crosses the BBB, and where the agent alone is not transported across the BBB in an effective amount. In some embodiments the invention provides methods of transport of neurotherapeutic agent from the peripheral circulation across the BBB in a therapeutically effective amount, where the neurotherapeutic agent is covalently attached to a structure that crosses the BBB, and where the neurotherapeutic agent alone is not transported across the BBB in a therapeutically effective amount.

The invention also provides, in some embodiments, methods of treatment of disorders of the CNS by peripheral administration of an effective amount of a therapeutic agent, e.g., a neurotherapeutic agent covalently linked to a structure that is capable of crossing the BBB, where the agent alone is not capable of crossing the BBB in an effective amount when administered peripherally. In some embodiments, the CNS disorder is an acute disorder, and, in some cases, may require only a single administration of the agent. In some embodiments, the CNS disorder is a chronic disorder and may require more than one administration of the agent.

In some embodiments, the effective amount, e.g., therapeutically effective amount is such that a concentration in the brain is reached of at least about 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 100, or more than 100 ng/gram brain. In some embodiments, a therapeutically effective amount, e.g., of a neurotrophin such as BDNF, is such that a brain level is achieved of about 0.1 to 1000, or about 1-100, or about 5-50 ng/g brain. In some embodiments, the neurotherapeutic agent is a neurotrophin. In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is selected from the group consisting of BDNF, nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and other FGFs, neurotrophin (NT)-3, erythropoietin (EPO), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, TGF-β, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), heregulin, neuregulin, artemin, persephin, interleukins, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (CSF), granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, netrins, cardiotrophin-1, hedgehogs, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), midkine, pleiotrophin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), netrins, saposins, semaphorins, or stem cell factor (SCF). In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is BDNF, e.g. a truncated BDNF, such as the carboxyl-truncated BDNFs described herein.

In some embodiments, the invention provides methods of treating a disorder of the CNS by peripherally administering to an individual in need of such treatment an effective amount of a neurotrophin, where the neurotrophin is capable of crossing the BBB to produce an average elevation of neurotrophin concentration in the brain of at least about 0.1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 100, or more than 100 ng/gram brain following said peripheral administration, and where the neurotrophin remains at the elevated level for about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more than 10 days after a single administration. In some embodiments, the neurotrophin remains at a level of greater than about 1 ng/g brain, or about 2 ng/g brain, or about 5 ng/g brain for about 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more than 10 days after a single administration. In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is BDNF, including truncated versions thereof.

In some embodiments, the invention provides methods of treating a disorder of the CNS by peripherally administering to an individual in need of such treatment an effective amount of a composition of the invention. The term “peripheral administration,” as used herein, includes any method of administration that is not direct administration into the CNS, i.e., that does not involve physical penetration or disruption of the BBB. “Peripheral administration” includes, but is not limited to, intravenous intramuscular, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intranasal, transbuccal, transdermal, rectal, transalveolar (inhalation), or oral administration. Any suitable composition of the invention, as described herein, may be used. In some embodiments, the composition is a neurotrophin covalently linked to a chimeric HIR-MAb. In some embodiments, the neurotrophin is a BDNF. In some embodiments, the BDNF is a variant as described herein, such as a carboxyl-terminal truncated variant.

A “disorder of the CNS” or “CNS disorder,” as those terms are used herein, encompasses any condition that affects the brain and/or spinal cord and that leads to suboptimal function. In some embodiments, the disorder is an acute disorder. Acute disorders of the CNS include focal brain ischemia, global brain ischemia, brain trauma, spinal cord injury, acute infections, status epilepticus, migrane headache, acute psychosis, suicidal depression, and acute anxiety/phobia. In some embodiments, the disorder is a chronic disorder. Chronic disorders of the CNS include chronic neurodegeneration, retinal degeneration, depression, chronic affective disorders, lysosmal storage disorders, chronic infections of the brain, brain cancer, stroke rehabilitation, inborn errors of metabolism, autism, mental retardation. Chronic neurodegeneration includes neurodegenerative diseases such as prion diseases, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), transverse myelitis, motor neuron disease, Pick's disease, tuberous sclerosis, lysosomal storage disorders, Canavan's disease, Rett's syndrome, spinocerebellar ataxias, Friedreich's ataxia, optic atrophy, and retinal degeneration, and aging of the CNS.

In some embodiments, the invention provides methods of treatment of the retina, or for treatment or prevention of blindness. The retina, like the brain, is protected from the blood by the blood-retinal barrier (BRB). The insulin receptor is expressed on both the BBB and the BRB, and the HIRMAb has been shown to deliver therapeutics to the retina via RMT across the BRB. BDNF is neuroprotective in retinal degeneration, but it was necessary to inject the neurotrophin directly into the eyeball, because BDNF does not cross the BRB. In some embodiments, fusion proteins of the invention are used to treat retinal degeneration and blindness with a route of administration no more invasive than an intravenous or subcutaneous injection, because the HIRMAb delivers the BDNF across the BRB, so that the neurotrophin is exposed to retinal neural cells from the blood compartment.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a method of treatment for depression. A subset of patients with depression may have a brain deficiency of BDNF, and the correlation of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with affective disorders has been reported. The direct injection of BDNF into the brain has durable anti-depressant effects in rodent model. The BDNF must be injected directly into the brain, because the neurotrophin does not cross the BBB. In some embodiments, the invention provides a method for treating depression by chronic administration of a fusion protein of the invention, thus elevating the brain levels of BDNF and being therapeutic in those patients with depression and a reduced production of brain BDNF.

Formulations and administration. Any suitable formulation, route of administration, and dose of the compositions of the invention may be used. Formulations, doses, and routes of administration are determined by those of ordinary skill in the art with no more than routine experimentation. Compositions of the invention, e.g., fusion proteins are typically administered in a single dose, e.g., an intravenous dose, of about 0.01-1000 mg, or about 0.05-500 mg, or about 0.1-100 mg, or about 1-100 mg, or about 0.5-50 mg, or about 5-50 mg, or 5-50 mg, or about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 25, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100 mg. Typically, for the treatment of acute brain disease, such as stroke, cardiac arrest, spinal cord injury, or brain trauma, higher doses may be used, whereas for the treatment of chronic conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, MS, ALS, transverse myelitis, motor neuron disease, Pick's disease, tuberous sclerosis, lysosomal storage disorders, Canavan's disease, Rett's syndrome, spinocerebellar ataxias, Friedreich's ataxia, optic atrophy, and retinal degeneration, and aging, lower, chronic dosing may be used. Oral administration can require a higher dosage than intravenous or subcutaneous dosing, depending on the efficiency of absorption and possible metabolism of the protein, as is known in the art, and may be adjusted from the foregoing based on routine experimentation.

For intravenous or subcutaneous administration, formulations of the invention may be provided in liquid form, and formulated in saline based aqueous solution of varying pH (5-8), with or without detergents such polysorbate-80 at 0.01-1%, or carbohydrate additives, such mannitol, sorbitol, or trehalose. Commonly used buffers include histidine, acetate, phosphate, or citrate.

Dosages for humans can be calculated from appropriate animal data. For example, human dosing of a BDNF-MAB conjugate is based on pre-clinical pharmacokinetic studies, and these measurements have been performed in 2 species, rats, and Rhesus monkeys. Prior work in 3 models of cerebral ischemia in rats demonstrated the range of effective doses of the BDNF-MAb conjugate is 5-50 ug/rat or 20-200 ug/kg of BDNF in the form of the BDNF-MAb conjugate. Since the BDNF component of the fusion protein molecule is 16%, and the HIRMAb component is 84%, the dose of fusion protein is 6-fold greater than the equivalent BDNF dose. Pharmacokinetic studies in rats show these doses produce a concentration of the BDNF in the form of conjugate in plasma of 50-500 ng/mL, and in brain of 5-50 ng/g. Pharmacokinetic studies in adult Rhesus monkeys with the HIRMAb show that the average plasma concentration in the first hour is 0.1% injected dose (ID)/mL, and that the brain concentration is 0.02% ID/g. The brain concentration of the fusion protein is about 0.01% ID/g (FIG. 27). Owing to the scaling effect between species, and to the 10-fold larger body size and brain size of humans relative to Rhesus monkeys, the projected plasma and brain concentrations in humans are 0.01% ID/mL and 0.001% ID/g respectively. Since the human brain is 1200 grams, then >1% of the injected dose is delivered to the human brain, which is a level of brain uptake comparable to small molecules. Given an injected dose of fusion protein of 2.5-25 mg in humans, the expected 60 min plasma concentration is 250-2500 ng/ml of fusion protein, and the expected 60 min brain concentration is 25-250 ng/g of fusion protein, which is equivalent to 440 ng/gram brain of BDNF. The 5 mg and 25 mg fusion protein doses in humans will produce a brain concentration of the BDNF that is neuroprotective in either global or regional brain ischemia. Since the BDNF comprises 16% of the fusion protein, the effective doses of BDNF administered to humans is 0.4 or 4.0 mg, respectively, for the 2.5 or 25 mg dose of fusion protein.

The fusion protein may also be formulated for chronic use for the treatment of a chronic CNS disorder, e.g., neurodegenerative disease, stroke or brain/spinal cord injury rehabilitation, or depression. Chronic treatment may involve daily, weekly, bi-weekly administration of the composition of the invention, e.g., fusion protein either intravenously, intra-muscularly, or subcutaneous in formulations similar to that used for acute treatment. Alternatively, the composition, e.g., fusion protein may be formulated as part of a bio-degradable polymer, and administered on a monthly schedule.

Combination therapies. The composition of the invention, e.g., fusion protein may be administered as part of a combination therapy. The combination therapy involves the administration of a composition of the invention in combination with another therapy for the CNS disorder being treated. If the composition of the invention is used in combination with another CNS disorder method or composition, any combination of the composition of the invention and the additional method or composition may be used. Thus, for example, if use of a composition of the invention is in combination with another CNS disorder treatment agent, the two may be administered simultaneously, consecutively, in overlapping durations, in similar, the same, or different frequencies, etc. In some cases a composition will be used that contains a composition of the invention in combination with one or more other CNS disorder treatment agents.

Other CNS disorder treatment agents that may be used in methods of the invention include, without limitation, thromolytic therapy for stroke, amyloid-directed therapy for Alzheimers disease, dopamine restoration therapy for Parkinsons disease, RNA interference therapy for genetic disorders, cancer, or infections, and anti-convulsant therapy for epilepsy. Dosages, routes of administration, administration regimes, and the like for these agents are well-known in the art.

In some embodiments, the composition, e.g., fusion protein is co-administered to the patient with another medication, either within the same formulation or as a separate composition. For example, the fusion protein could be formulated with another fusion protein that is also designed to deliver across the human blood-brain barrier a recombinant protein other than BDNF. The fusion protein may be formulated in combination with other large or small molecules.

VIII. Kits

Compositions of the invention, e.g., fusion proteins, may be provided as a kit that includes the formulation, e.g., fusion protein in a container and in suitable packaging. The composition can be provided in a dry powder form, in solid form (i.e., lyophilized), in solution, or in suspension. If the composition is a protein, to the proteins may have been added emulsifiers, salts, preservatives, other proteins, nucleic acids, protease inhibitors, antibiotics, perfumes, polysaccharides, adhesive agents, polymers, microfibrils, oils, etc. The composition is packaged for transport, storage and/or use by a consumer. Such packaging of therapeutic compositions for transport, storage, and use is well-known in the art. Packaged compositions may include further components for the dispensing and storage of the composition, and may also include separately packaged diluent comprised of, e.g., sterile water or a suitable buffer, for solubilizing the formulation, e.g., fusion protein prior to administration to the patient. Kits of the invention may also include written materials, including instructions for use, results of clinical studies, desired outcome and expected course of treatment, information about precautions and side effects, and the like. The kits may optionally further contain other components, such as gloves, scissors, tape, implements for disposal of used vials and other waste, masks, antiseptic, antibiotics, and the like.

EXAMPLES Example 1

Construction Of The Single Tandem Vector Containing Complete Genes For Igg-neurotherapeutic Fusion

Genetic engineering of a eukaryotic expression vector encoding the heavy chain (HC) of the fusion protein is outlined in FIG. 1. The final fusion protein HC expression vector was designated pHIRMAb-BDNF, or clone 416. This vector was designed to produce a fusion protein, comprised of a BDNF variant fused to the HC of the HIRMAb. Either BDNF or a variant of BDNF (vBDNF) can be fused to the HIRMAb. The vBDNF differs from native human BDNF by substitution of certain amino acids, such as a vBDNF where the 2 amino acids at the carboxyl terminus of BDNF are absent in vBDNF. The clone 416 plasmid was derived from clone 400, which produces the HC of the chimeric form of the HIRMAb, and a cDNA encoding mature human vBDNF, which was produced as described in FIG. 2. Clone 400 encodes a chimeric human IgG1 that is derived from a chromosomal fragment encoding the human IgG1 constant region, and is comprised of both intron and exon sequences. The HC gene of the chimeric HIRMAb in clone 400 was subcloned at the BamHI site of the pCR II plasmid to facilitate engineering of the stop codon located at the 3′-end of the CH3 region by site directed mutagenesis (SDM). The engineering of the stop codon located at the end of the CH3 region was performed by site-directed mutagenesis to produce a SspI site. The SspI site allows for insertion of the vBDNF cDNA (FIG. 3) by blunt-end ligation into clone 400 to form clone 415. SDM was performed using the QuickChange SDM kit (Stratagene, Calif.). Sense and complementary mutagenic primers were designed in a way that the CH3 stop codon (aaTGAg) is mutated to SspI site (aaTATt). In addition, primers contained 15 nucleotides of the stop codon 5′- and 3′-surrounding region; the sequence of these primers, designated SDM-SspI forward (FWD) and reverse (REV) are given in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Nucleotide sequence of oligodeoxynucleotides used for engineering plasmid clone 416 SDM-SspI-FWD (SEQ ID NO.1) CCTGTCTCCGGGTAAATATTTGCGACGGCCGGCAAG SDM-SspI-REV (SEQ ID NO.2) CTTGCCGGCCGTCGCAAATATTTACCCGGAGACAGG XhoI-NheI linker FWD (SEQ ID NO.3) ATGCTCGAGGAATTCCCATGGATGATGGCTAGCAAGCTTATG XhoI-NheI linker REV (SEQ ID NO.4) CATAAGCTTGCTAGCCATCATCCATGGGAATTCCTCGAGCAT XhoI-NheI (underlined) is a Universal linker that contains the following RE sites: XhoI-EcoRI-NcoI-NheI-HindIII. SDM = site-directed mutagenesis; FWD = forward; REV = reverse

DNA sequence analysis of the IgG promoter region revealed the presence of additional SspI sites in this region. Therefore, it was first necessary to release the HC promoter region (PRO-VH) by digestion of clone 404 with XhoI and NheI, and the clone 404 was re-closed with a XhoI-NheI linker which produced clone 405 (-Pro-VH). The sequence of the forward and reverse ODNs used to produce the XhoI-NheI. linker are given in Table 1. Plasmid clone 405 (-Pro-VH) now carries the single SspI site introduced by SDM. The human vBDNF cDNA was subcloned at SspI to form an intermediate plasmid named clone 414 (not shown). The complete fusion protein HC expression cassette was then reconstructed by subcloning of the PRO-VH fragment previously deleted to form clone 415. The fusion protein HC gene was then subcloned in the eukaryotic expression vector, clone 400, at the BamHI site to form clone 416.

The vBDNF cDNA was produced by PCR via either of 2 equivalent approaches. In one approach, a prokaryotic expression plasmid, pHTBS01, isolated as an expressed sequence tag (EST), and encoding human BDNF, was digested with BamHI and BpII, and gel purified, and re-ligated with T4 ligase and the 5′-end linker to produce clone 412 (FIG. 2). The sequence of the forward and reverse ODNs used to produce the 5′-end linker are given in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Engineering of 5′- and 3′-end linkers of vBDNF cDNA 1) 5′-end linker of vBDNF FWD-ODN (SEQ ID NO.5) TCCGGATCCTCGCGAGTATGCACTCTGACCCTGCCCGTCGAGGTGAGCTG AGCGTG 2) 5′-end linker of vBDNF REV-ODN (SEQ ID NO.6) CACGCTCAGCTCACCTCGACGGGCAGGGTCAGAGTGCATACTCGCGAGGA TCCGGA 3) 3′-end linker of vBDNF FWD-ODN (SEQ ID NO.7) AGTCGTACGTGCGGGCCCTTACCATGGATAGCAAAAAGAGAATTGGCTGG CGATTCATAAGGATAGACACTTCTTGTGTATGTACATTGACCATTAAAAG GTGATCGCGACTCGAGATG 4) 3′-end linker of vBDNF REV-ODN (SEQ ID NO.8) CATCTCGAGTCGCGATCACCTTTTAATGGTCAATGTACATACACAAGAAG TGTCTATCCTTATGAATCGCCAGCCAATTCTCTTTTTGCTATCCATGGTA AGGGCCCGCACGTACGACT 5) vBDNF-PCR-U87 FWD-ODN (SEQ ID NO.9) ATCTCGCGAGTATGCACTCTGACCCTGCC 6) vBDNF-PCR-U87 REV-ODN (SEQ ID NO.10) ATCTCGCGATCACCTTTTAATGGTCAA

-   -   SEQ ID NO 5 and 6: Artificial forward (FWD) and reverse (REV)         oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) duplex linkers were designed to         engineer a mature vBDNF cDNA that allows for insertion into the         CH3 open reading frame (orf) of clone 400 heavy chain (HC) to         form clone 416 (FIG. 1). The 5′-end linker is flanked by BamHI         and EspI, respectively, and it reconstructs the amino terminus         of the mature vBDNF. BamHI and EspI allow for directional         subcloning into the vBDNF intermediate plasmid clone 413 (FIG.         2). A NruI site follows BamHI and it enables insertion of the         vBDNF into the HC vector (clone 405, FIG. 1) at the SspI site.         In addition, the linker also has “GT” immediately after NruI to         maintain the orf of the CH3 (FIG. 1). This modification         introduces a Ser-Ser-Met linker between CH3 and the vBDNF amino         terminus.     -   SEQ ID NO 7 and 8: The 3′-end linker contains SplI and XhoI to         reconstruct the COOH terminus of the mature vBDNF and introduces         a stop codon “TGA”. This linker has SplI, XhoI and NruI sites         for directional subcloning and insertion into clone 405 (FIGS. 1         and 2).     -   SEQ ID NO 9 and 10: FWD ODN reconstructs the amino terminus of         the mature vBDNF and introduces a Ser-Ser-Met linker. NruI site         for insertion into the expression vector is underlined. REV ODN         introduces the TGA stop codon. NruI site for insertion into the         expression vector is underlined.

Clone 412 was then digested with XhoI and BsiWI, and gel purified, and re-ligated with T4 ligase and the 3′end linker to produce clone 413 (FIG. 2). The sequence of the forward and reverse ODNs used to produce the 3′-end linker are given in Table 2. The vBDNF cDNA, encoding the vBDNF with a reconstructed stop codon, was released from clone 413 by NruI, and gel purified; the ethidium bromide stain of the agarose gel is shown in FIG. 3A. This gel shows the expected size of the vBDNF cDNA, 0.4 kb, and the vector backbone, 3.5 kb. Alternatively, the BDNF cDNA was produced by PCR from cDNA derived by reverse transcription of polyA+RNA isolated from human U87 glioma cells, which produce neurotrophins. The primers used to produce the vBDNF by PCR from the U87-derived cDNA are given in Table 2. This PCR produced the expected 0.4 kb vBDNF cDNA (FIG. 3B). The 0.4 kb vBDNF fragment was then digested with NruI, and subcloned into clone 415, as described in FIG. 1, to produce the full fusion protein HC expression cassette, which was released by BamHI and subcloned into the original eukaryotic expression plasmid to produce clone 416 (FIG. 1), the final expression plasmid for the fusion protein HC. Clone 416 was analyzed by double digestion with NheI and BamHI and compared with that of the original clone 400, which lacks the vBDNF. The agarose gel-separated products are shown in FIG. 3C, where lanes 1 and 3 show the fragments generated from clone 416 and clone 400, respectively. Both plasmids produce a 6 kb vector backbone (upper of 3 bands in lanes 1 and 3), and a 2.5 kb promoter region (lower of 3 bands in lanes 1 and 3). However, the size of the middle band is 0.4 kb larger for clone 416, as compared to clone 400 (middle band, lanes 1 and 3). A negative clone is shown in lane 2 of FIG. 3C.

The nucleotide and amino acid sequence of the reconstructed carboxyl terminus at the CH3 region of the HIRMAb HC, a 3-amino acid linker (Ser-Ser-Met), the vBDNF sequence, followed by a stop codon is shown in FIG. 4. The entire 2711 nucleotides (nt) comprising the fusion protein HC gene of clone 416 is shown in FIG. 5. The ATG initiation codon and the TGA stop codon are underlined. The human IgG1 constant region intron and exon sequences are shown in italics and bold font, respectively, in FIG. 5. The vBDNF nt sequence in the clone 416 vector is underlined in FIG. 5. These data show that intronic sequence is found between CH 1 and the hinge region, between the hinge region and CH2, and between CH2 and CH3 regions of the human IgG1 constant region. The open reading frame (orf) of the fusion protein HC gene encodes for a 563 amino acid protein, following cleavage of a 19 amino acid signal peptide, and the amino acid sequence of the fusion protein HC is shown in FIG. 6. The signal peptide is underlined; the cysteine (C) residues within the constant region that form inter- or intra-chain disulfide bridges are shown in bold font; the serine-serine-methionine (SSM) linker between the CH3 region of the IgG and the vBDNF is underlined; the single N-linked glycosylation site, at the asparagine residue within CH2 in shown by bold underlined font (FIG. 6). The amino acid sequences of the individual domains of the fusion protein HC protein are given in FIG. 7. The vBDNF domain of the fusion protein is comprised of 117 amino acids.

Clone 416 plasmid DNA was electroporated into mouse myeloma cells that had previously been transfected with an expression plasmid encoding the light chain (LC) of the chimeric HIRMAb. Since the vBDNF is fused only to the HC, there is no modification of the LC of the chimeric HIRMAb. Following selection of transfected cell lines, media from 96-well plates were screened with an ELISA comprised of 2 anti-human IgG antibodies; one antibody is directed against the heavy chain of human IgG1, and the other antibody is directed against human kappa light chains. Myeloma clones encoding for intact fusion protein were isolated, and propagated in a 10 L bioreactor. However, the production levels of the fusion protein were low. This low production was attributed to several factors, including (i) transfection of the myeloma line by 3 separate expression plasmids encoding the heavy chain gene, the light chain gene, and the antibiotic resistance gene; and (ii) the use of genomic fragment of the heavy and light chain genes with large intronic sequences. Therefore, the fusion protein expression plasmid was re-engineered with the following features:

-   (1) the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to convert genomic     fragments of the fusion protein HC and LC genes into ‘intron-less’     cDNA forms of the 2 genes -   (2) the cDNA forms the fusion protein HC and LC genes were placed on     a single ‘tandem vector’ in which the 2 genes were placed in     separate and tandem expression cassettes with separate promoters -   (3) the promoter driving the expression of the fusion protein HC and     LC genes was changed from the human IgG promoters to the     cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter, to enable transfection of     non-myeloma cells, such as Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells -   (4) the tandem vector encoding fusion protein contains a gene     encoding for the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene, under a     separate SV40 promoter, to allow for methotrexate (MTX) selection of     CHO lines which contain amplification of the genome in the region of     the insertion of the expression vector.

In order to produce the fusion protein tandem vector, it was first necessary to produce intermediate plasmids, which separately encode cDNA forms of the fusion protein HC and LC genes. Eukaryotic expression plasmids carrying the CMV promoter and the bovine growth hormone (BGH) poly-A (pA) transcription termination sequences, and designated pCD, were digested with NheI and XhoI and re-ligated with T4 ligase and an NheI-EcoRV-KpnI-ScaI-BamHI-XhoI linker, as shown in FIG. 8. The sequence of the forward and reverse ODNs used to produce this linker are given in Table 3.

TABLE 3 Nucleotide sequence of ODNs used for engineering of intronless expression vectors 1) Linker NheI-EcoRV-KpnI-XcaI-BamHI-XhoI FWD ODN (SEQ ID NO.11) ATGGCTAGCGATATCGGTACCGTATACGGATCCCTCGAGATG 2) Linker NheI-EcoRV-KpnI-XcaI-BamHI-XhoI REV ODN (SEQ ID NO.12) CATCTCGAGGGATCCGTATACGGTACCGATATCGCTAGCCAT 3) PGR cloning of LC FWD ODN primer (SEQ ID NO.13) GTGACAAACACAGACATAGGATATC 4) PCR cloning of LC REV ODN primer (SEQ ID NO.14) ATGCTCGAGCTAACACTCTCCCCT 5) PCR cloning of fusion protein HG FWD ODN primer (SEQ ID NO.15) ATGAATATTCCACCATGGAATGCAGC 6) PCR cloning of fusion protein HG REV ODN primer (SEQ ID NO.16) ATAGGATCCTCACCTTTTAATGGTCAA RE cloning sites are underlined: GATATC: EcoRV, CTCGAG: XhoI, AATATT: SspI, GGATCC: BamHI.

The resulting plasmid, designated pCD-linker (FIG. 8) was digested with EcoRV and BamHII and reclosed with T4 ligase and the fusion protein HC cDNA generated by PCR. For the PCR reaction, the above mentioned myeloma line that had been dual transfected with genomic constructs of the fusion protein HC (clone 416) and LC genes were digested and myeloma derived polyA+RNA was produced (part A in FIG. 8). Oligodeoxythymidine (ODT) primers were used to produced myeloma cDNA with reverse transcriptase from 0.5 ug of myeloma polyA+RNA, followed by a final RNase digestion. From this cDNA, PCR was used to produce the cDNA form of the fusion protein HC gene, using the forward and reverse primers shown in Table 3, and high fidelity Pfu DNA polymerase. Similarly, the fusion protein LC cDNA was produced by PCR from the myeloma derived cDNA, and the sequences of the forward and reverse PCR primers used to amplify the fusion protein LC cDNA are given in Table 3. Following PCR, the cDNA was applied to an 0.8% agarose gel, and all amplifications yielded a single product, a 1.8 kb fusion protein HC cDNA (lane 1, FIG. 3D), and a 0.7 kb fusion protein LC cDNA (lane 2, FIG. 3D). The fusion protein HC PCR product was digested with SspI and BamHI and subcloned into CD-linker to produce the clone 422a (FIG. 8), which is an intronless eukaryotic expression plasmid encoding the fusion protein HC cDNA. Clone 422a was analyzed by restriction endonuclease using NheI; digestion with this enzyme, which has a site in the new multiple cloning region of the pCD vector, produced the expected 0.4 kb fragment corresponding to the fusion protein heavy chain variable region (VH) cDNA (lanes 1-4, FIG. 3E). The nucleotide sequence of the fusion protein HC cDNA encoded by clone 422a is shown in FIG. 9A, which shows the intron sequences present in clone 416 (FIG. 5) have been deleted by the PCR of processed myeloma RNA. The amino acid sequence encoded by the fusion protein HC cDNA is given in FIG. 9B, and this amino acid sequence is identical to that produced by the genomic fragment in clone 416 (FIG. 6).

The fusion protein LC PCR product was digested with EcoRV and XhoI and subcloned into CD-linker to produce the clone 423a (FIG. 10), which is an intronless eukaryotic expression plasmid encoding the fusion protein LC cDNA. Clone 423a was analyzed by restriction endonuclease using EcoRV and BamHI; digestion with these enzymes, which have a site in the new multiple cloning region of the pCD vector, produced the expected 0.7 kb fragment corresponding to the fusion protein LC cDNA (lanes 1-5, FIG. 3F). The nucleotide sequence of the fusion protein LC cDNA encoded by clone 423a is shown in FIG. 11A, which shows the intron sequences have been deleted by the PCR of processed myeloma RNA. The amino acid sequence encoded by the fusion protein LC cDNA is shown in FIG. 11B.

Clones 422a and 423a were the precursors to the fusion protein tandem vector, as outlined in FIG. 12. In 2 steps, clone 422a was subjected to SDM to introduce an EcoRI site at the 3′-end of the fusion protein HC expression cassette; the sequences of the forward and reverse SDM primers are given in Table 4.

TABLE 4 Nucleotide sequences of ODNs used for engineering of TV-12 1) EcoRI-SDM FWD ODN (SEQ ID NO.17) AAAAGGCCAGGAACCGAATTCAGATCTCGTTGCTGGCGTTTT 2) EcoRI-SDM REV ODN (SEQ ID NO.18) AAAACGCCAGCAACGAGATCTGAATTCGGTTCCTGGCCTTTT 3) EcoRI linker FWD (SEQ ID NO.19) ATCGAATTCAAGCTTGCGGCCGCGTATACAGATCTATC 4) EcoRI linker REV (SEQ ID NO.20) GATAGATCTGTATACGCGGCCGCAAGCTTGAATTCGAT EcoRI site in EcoRI-SDM ODN is underlined. The EcoRI linker introduces EcoRI-HindIII-NotI-XcaI RE sites.

In step 2, the mutated clone 422a was digested with EcoRI, blunt-ended, and re-ligated with the EcoRI-HindIII-NotI-XcaI linker to produce clone 422a-I (FIG. 12). The sequence of the ODNs used to produce this EcoRI linker are given in Table 4. Clone 422a-I was digested with EcoRI and HindIII, and closed with T4 ligase in the presence of the fusion protein LC expression cassette to produce clone 422a-II (FIG. 12). The fusion protein LC expression cassette was generated by digestion of clone pBS-LC-1 with EcoRI and HindIII. Clone pBS-LC-1 was produced from EcoRV-digested pBS (Bluescript), T4 ligase, and the fusion protein LC expression cassette produced by digestion of clone 423a with SspI (FIG. 12). In parallel, a mouse DHFR expression cassette, containing the SV40 promoter and the hepatitis C virus polyA region, was produced from the pFR400 plasmid (designated pDHFR) by digestion of the plasmid with SmaI and SaII (FIG. 12). The final fusion protein tandem vector was produced by subcloning the DHFR expression cassette into XcaI digested clone 422a-II followed by closure with T4 ligase (FIG. 12). The fusion protein tandem vector was analyzed by restriction endonuclease, and the 11 kb plasmid was linearized by PvuI (lane 1, FIG. 3G). The 1.8 kb fusion protein LC and 1.5 kb DHFR expression cassettes, and the 8 kb vector backbone including the fusion protein HC expression cassette were released by digestion with EcoRI and HindII (lane 2, FIG. 3G). The tandem vector was subjected to DNA sequencing in both directions, and the nucleotide sequence, and the deduced amino acid sequence of the fusion protein HC, the fusion protein LC, and the DHFR genes are shown in FIGS. 14, 15, and 16, respectively. The calculated MW of the fusion protein HC and LC are 62,220 and 25,760 Da, respectively, not accounting for any carbohydrate content of the fusion protein HC.

Example 2

Electroporation of CHO cells with fusion protein tandem vector and cultivation in a bioreactor. The fusion protein tandem vector (FIG. 12) was linearized with PvuI and electroporated into CHO-K1 cells followed by selection with G418 (375 ug/ml) for 3 weeks. Positive clones were detected in 96 well plates with a human IgG ELISA that uses 2 primary antibodies to both the human IgG1 HC and the human kappa LC. Cell lines of high copy number of the transgene were selected by graded increases in MTX to 600 nM. The MTX-selected cell line was grown in T175 flasks and then transferred to a 20L bioreactor with a 10 L volume of CHO cell serum free medium (SFM). As shown in FIG. 17, the CHO cells were maintained at high density in excess of 10 million viable cells/mL for nearly 50 days in perfusion mode in the bioreactor. The secretion by these cells of the fusion protein was detected by ELISA using antibodies to either human IgG or to human BDNF. As shown in FIG. 18, the fusion protein is a 1:1 fusion of the vBDNF to the carboxyl terminus of the HIRMAb heavy chain, which results in formation of the fusion protein heavy chain. This heavy chain complexes with the light chain, as shown in FIG. 18. Therefore, the fusion protein should react equally well to 3 antibodies directed against: (i) the human IgG1 HC, (ii) the human kappa LC; or (iii) human BDNF. As shown in FIG. 19, there is a direct correlation in measurement of the fusion protein in the CHO cell medium depending on whether anti-human IgG or anti-human BDNF antibodies are used in the ELISA. These ELISA results were confirmed with immunocytochemistry (ICC), which showed the CHO cells transfected with TV-120 were immunoreactive with antibodies to either human IgG or to human BDNF, and that the BDNF immune signal was eliminated by absorption of the anti-BDNF antibody with recombinant BDNF.

Example 3

Purification and characterization of bioreactor produced fusion protein. The conditioned medium obtained from the bioreactor under perfusion mode was passed through a 1 μm filter, and the medium collected in a 200 L Bioprocess container under sterile conditions, which were maintained at 4° C. in a glass door refrigerator contiguous with the bioreactor. Then, 200 L batches of conditioned medium were passed through 1 μm and 0.4 μm pre-filters for the removal of cell debris. The medium was then concentrated with tangential flow filtration (TFF). The TFF system was a Pellicon 2 model from Millipore and was comprised of five 0.5 m² filtration cassettes with a 30 kDa molecular weight cutoff and a total surface area of 2.5 m². A transmembrane gradient of 15 PSI was produced, which results in a reduction in volume of the 200 L to 2 L within 2 hours. The concentrated medium was passed through an 0.22μ filter prior to elution through 100 mL Prosep A (Millipore) recombinant protein A affinity column. Following application of the sample, the column was washed with buffer A (0.025 M NaCl, 0.025 M Tris, pH=7.4, 3 mM EDTA). The elution of CHO cell host protein (CHOP) was monitored at A280 with a Shimadzu detector. The fusion protein was eluted with 0.1 M citric acid (pH=3) in tubes containing Tris base to cause immediate neutralization to pH 7. The neutralized acid eluate pool was diluted with double distilled water until the conductivity was <7 mS, and the material was applied to a 50 mL Sepharose SP cation exchange column (Amersham) that has been equilibrated with a 0.02 M Tris, pH=7.5. Following washing in the Tris buffer, the residual CHOP was separated from the fusion protein with a linear NaCl gradient from 0 to 1 M NaCl. The fusion protein peak was pooled and buffer exchanged and concentrated with a Millipore diafiltration unit with a 30 kDa molecular weight cutoff. The final concentrated antibody solution was sterile filtered (0.22 μm) and stored at 4° C. The fusion protein was purified to homogeneity on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), as demonstrated in FIG. 20. The size of the fusion protein heavy chain was 68 kDa as compared to the size of the HIRMAb heavy chain, which was 54 kDa. The difference between the size of the fusion protein and HIRMAb heavy chains reflects the added vBDNF monomer (14 kDa) fused to each heavy chain of the fusion protein. The fusion protein reacts with both anti-human IgG antibodies and anti-human BDNF antibodies on Western blotting with the expected molecular weight size of the immunoreactive bands (FIG. 21). Isoelectric focusing (IEF) shows the isoelectric point (pI) of recombinant BDNF was highly cationic with a pI>10 (FIG. 22). The observed pI of the fusion protein was 8.5, and approximates the pI of the HIRMAb (FIG. 22). The observed pI of the fusion protein, 8.5, was consistent with the calculated pI, which is 9.04 and 5.27 for the fusion protein HC and LC, respectively (http://scansite.mit.edu/).

Example 4

The fusion protein is bi-functional and binds with high affinity to both the human insulin receptor and to the human trkB receptor. The affinity of the fusion protein for the HIR extracellular domain (ECD) was determined with a competitive ligand binding assay (CLBA) using the lectin affinity purified HIR ECD. CHO cells permanently transfected with the HIR ECD were grown in serum free media (SFM), and the HIR ECD was purified with a wheat germ agglutinin affinity column. The HIR ECD was plated on Nunc-Maxisorb 96 well dishes and the binding of the murine HIRMAb to the HIR ECD was detected by radioactivity measurements following addition of [¹²⁵I] murine HIRMAb as the ligand in the binding assay (FIG. 23A). The binding of the [¹²⁵I] murine HIRMAb to the HIR ECD was displaced by the addition of unlabeled fusion protein or HIRMAb as demonstrated in FIG. 23B. The CLBA shows comparable binding of the HIRMAb or the fusion protein. A Scatchard analysis using a high affinity and low affinity binding site model and nonlinear regression analysis was performed to determine the affinity constant of the fusion protein binding to the HIR. Both the fusion protein and the HIRMAb bind equally well to the HIR with a high affinity binding constant, Ki=0.63±0.07 nM (FIG. 23B).

The TrkB CLBA was designed for measurement of the affinity of the fusion protein for recombinant human TrkB ECD. The design of a TrkB CLBA was made difficult by the cationic nature of BDNF, which causes a high degree of nonspecific binding in the assay and this reduces the sensitivity of the assay. The nonspecific binding of BDNF could be eliminated by conjugation of 2000 Da polyethyleneglycol (PEG) to the protein. A bifunctional PEG molecule, biotin-PEG²⁰⁰⁰-hydrazide (Hz), was commercially obtained, and conjugated to BDNF to produce BDNF-PEG²⁰⁰⁰-biotin, as outlined in FIG. 24A; this molecule was used as the “tracer” in the CLBA. The TrkB ECD was absorbed to ELISA plates and binding of BDNF-PEG²⁰⁰⁰-biotin to the TrkB was detected colorimetrically with avidin and biotin peroxidase (FIG. 24A). Prior studies showed the ELISA signal (A490) was directly proportional to the amount of TrkB added to the well. In addition, the assay had a very low blank and the A490 was <0.04 when no TrkB is plated. The binding of the BDNF-PEG²⁰⁰⁰-biotin to the TrkB was competitively displaced by the recombinant BDNF (FIG. 24B) or the fusion protein (FIG. 24C). The Scatchard analysis of the binding data using nonlinear regression analysis allowed for the computation of the Ki of binding of either BDNF or fusion protein to TrkB, as shown in FIG. 24B and 24C, respectively. The affinity of the fusion protein for TrkB was not statistically different from the affinity of the recombinant BDNF (FIG. 19B,C). The nonspecific binding (NSB) of the assay was comparable for either BDNF or the fusion protein. The NSB likely represents nonlinear cooperative binding of the neurotrophin to the TrkB extracellular domain. The TrkB CLBA results shown in FIG. 24 indicate the affinity of fusion protein for the TrkB receptor was not changed following fusion of the vBDNF to the carboxyl terminus of the HIRMAb heavy chain.

Neurotrophins such as BDNF require an obligatory formation of a homo-dimeric structure to be biologically active, and to bind with high affinity to the cognate receptor, e.g. TrkB. A naturally occurring homo-dimeric structure between two BDNF molecules was formed when the neurotrophin was fused to a carboxyl terminus of the CH3 region of an IgG molecule, as illustrated in FIG. 18. The surprising observation of the maintenance of the high affinity binding of BDNF for TrkB (FIG. 24), despite fusion to the HIRMAb heavy chain (FIG. 18), is consistent with the fact that BDNF normally binds to TrkB as a dimer.

Example 5

Human neural cells subjected to hypoxia are neuroprotected by the fusion protein with equal activity as recombinant BDNF. Human SH-SY5Y neural cells were exposed to 10 uM retinoic acid for 7 days, which induces gene expression of trkB, the BDNF receptor. The cells were then exposed to 16 hours of oxygen deprivation in a sealed chamber, with oxygen sensor. Excitotoxic neural damage was then induced by 4 hours of re-oxygenation (FIG. 25A). During this 4 hour re-oxygenation period, the cells were exposed to either no treatment or equi-molar concentrations of human recombinant BDNF or fusion protein. As shown in FIG. 25B, the fusion protein was equipotent with native human BDNF with respect to inducing neuroprotection in human neural cells exposed to excitoxic ischemia-re-oxygenation.

Example 6

High affinity binding of fusion protein to human blood-brain barrier insulin receptor in isolated human brain capillaries. Isolated human brain capillaries are used as an in vitro model system of the human BBB (FIG. 26A). The fusion protein was radiolabeled with 3H—N-succinimidyl propionate, and added to the human brain capillaries to establish a radio-receptor assay (RRA) of fusion protein binding to the HIR of the human BBB. [³H]-fusion protein is specifically bound to the BBB, as the binding is self-inhibited by unlabeled fusion protein (FIG. 26B). The fusion protein is bound by the insulin receptor of the human BBB, because the murine HIRMAb (mHIRMAb) also inhibits binding of [³H]-fusion protein to the human BBB. The binding data in FIG. 26B were fit to a Scatchard plot with a non-linear regression analysis to produce the binding constants: K_(D)=0.55±0.07 nM, B_(max)=1.35±0.10 pmol/mg_(p), and NSB=0.39±0.02 pmol/mg_(p), where K_(D) is the dissociation constant, Bmax is the maximal binding, and NSB is the non-saturable binding. The KD is <1 nM, which indicate the fusion protein binds the HIR on the human BBB with very high affinity.

Example 7

Pharmacokinetics and brain uptake of fusion protein by the adult Rhesus monkey. The fusion protein was tritiated with [³H]—N-succinimidyl propionate to a specific activity of 2.0 μCi/μg. A 5 year old female Rhesus monkey, weighing 5.2 kg, was administered by a single intravenous injection a dose of 746 μCi (373 μg), and serum was collected at multiple time points over a 180 min period. The serum glucose of the anesthetized, overnight-fasted primate was constant throughout the 180 min study period, and averaged 72±2 mg %, which indicates that the administration of the HIRMAb based fusion protein caused no interference of the endogenous insulin receptor, and had no effect on glycemia control.

The serum removed from the anesthetized Rhesus monkey was analyzed for total radioactivity (FIG. 27A), and radioactivity that was precipitable by trichloroacetic acid (TCA) (FIG. 27B). At 180 minutes after drug injection, the animal was euthanized, and brain radioactivity was analyzed with the capillary depletion method (FIG. 27C), similar to prior work on the brain uptake of [¹²⁵I]-labeled murine HIRMAb in the Rhesus monkey. Based on the specific activity of the [³H]-fusion protein, the brain radioactivity was converted to ng per gram (g) brain, as shown in FIG. 27D, and this level was compared to the reported endogenous concentration of BDNF in the adult primate brain.

The plasma pharmacokinetics analysis (FIG. 27A) shows that the fusion protein of the genetically engineered HIRMAb and the BDNF is removed from blood at the same rate as the original murine HIRMAb. This is an important finding, because it shows that the fusion of BDNF, a highly cationic protein, to the HIRMb does not accelerate the blood clearance of the HIRMAb. Prior work shows that the attachment of the cationic BDNF to a monoclonal antibody greatly accelerates the blood clearance of the antibody, owing to the cationic nature of the BDNF, which greatly enhances hepatic uptake. The work in FIG. 27A shows that when the cationic BDNF was re-engineered as an IgG fusion protein, the plasma pharmacokinetics was dominated by the IgG moiety, and that the blood level of the BDNF remains high for a prolonged period.

The data in FIG. 27B show that when BDNF was re-formulated as an IgG fusion protein, the metabolic stability of the neurotrophin in blood was greatly enhanced, as compared to the native BDNF. Owing to its cationic nature, the native BDNF was rapidly removed from blood, and was rapidly degraded into TCA-soluble radioactive metabolites (FIG. 27B). However, the TCA-insoluble form of the labeled fusion protein remains high during the 3 hours after an intravenous injection in the primate (FIG. 27B). The data in FIGS. 27A,B show the advantages of re-engineering a neurotrophin pharmaceutical as a fusion protein. The native neurotrophin was rapidly removed from blood and was rapidly degraded. However, the plasma pharmacokinetics profile, and metabolic stability profile, of the neurotrophin resemble those of an IgG molecule, when the IgG-neurotrophin fusion protein was produced.

Native BDNF is not transported across the BBB. Similarly, a [³H]-mouse IgG2a isotype control antibody was not transported across the BBB in the adult Rhesus monkey, as the brain volume of distribution (VD) of the IgG at 180 minutes after an intravenous injection was equal to the plasma volume, 18 μL/g (FIG. 27C, open bars). Conversely, the brain V_(D) of the [³H]-fusion protein exceeds 140 μl/g brain (FIG. 27C, closed bars). Capillary depletion analysis separates the brain vasculature from the post-vascular supernatant, and allows detection of the transport of a drug through the BBB and into brain, as opposed to simple sequestration of the drug by the brain vasculature. The brain VD of the post-vascular supernatant of the [³H]-fusion protein was equal to the V_(D) of the brain homogenate (FIG. 27C), which indicates the fusion protein was transported through the BBB and into brain parenchyma.

The brain V_(D) of the fusion protein was converted into ng fusion protein per gram brain, based on the specific activity of the [³H]-fusion protein, and this allowed for calculation of the total mass of fusion protein in the brain, 24±1 ng/g, as shown in FIG. 27D. This value is >10-fold higher than the endogenous brain concentration of BDNF in the adult primate (45). Therefore, the administration of a dose of 373 μg to a 5.2 kg Rhesus monkey, which is equal to a normalized dose of 72 μg/kg of fusion protein, results in a marked increase in the brain concentration of BDNF. Such an increase in brain BDNF, following intravenous administration, is not possible with native BDNF, because the native BDNF does not cross the BBB. However, when BDNF is re-engineered in the form of the fusion protein, then pharmacologically active levels of the neurotrophin in brain are achieved (FIG. 27D).

The data shows that: (1) the plasma mean residence time (MRT) of the fusion protein, 312 minutes, was 100-fold greater than the MRT for native BDNF, which was 3.0 minutes, and (2) the systemic clearance of the fusion protein, 0.94 mL/min/kg, was 39-fold slower than the systemic clearance of the BDNF, which was 37 mL/min/kg. In other words, the average blood level of the recombinant protein was up to 100-fold greater when the recombinant protein was re-formulated as an IgG fusion protein. Thus, fusion of the BDNF to the molecular Trojan horse had 2 benefits: (1) the molecular Trojan horse carried the BDNF across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), whereas the BDNF alone cannot cross the BBB, and (2) the molecular Trojan horse prevented the rapid loss from blood of the neurotrophin; BDNF by itself lasts only about 3 minutes in the blood. Both of these properties serve to enhance the pharmacological effect of the BDNF in brain following administration into the blood stream. See, e.g., Table 5.

TABLE 5 Pharmacokinetic parameters for [³H]-fusion protein and [³H]-BDNF Parameter [³H]-fusion protein [³H]-BDNF A₁ (% ID/ml) 0.147 ± 0.020 5.28 ± 0.60 A₂ (% ID/ml) 0.061 ± 0.005 2.26 ± 0.32 k₁ (min⁻¹) 0.195 ± 0.050 1.75 ± 0.26 k₂ (hr⁻¹) 0.186 ± 0.042 15.6 ± 0.6  t_(1/2) ¹ (min) 3.5 ± 0.9 0.42 ± 0.07 t_(1/2) ² (hr) 3.7 ± 0.9 0.045 ± 0.001 CL_(SS) (ml/min/kg) 0.94 ± 0.16 37.0 ± 2.5  MRT (min) 312 ± 78  3.0 ± 0.3 A_(1,) A_(2,) k_(1,) and k₂ are the intercepts and slopes of the bi-exponential function describing the decay in plasma concentration with time. The parameters for the fusion protein were determined for the Rhesus monkey, and the parameters for BDNF were determined in the adult rat. All data are normalized for differences in body weight. t_(1/2) ¹ and t_(1/2) ² are computed from k₁ and k₂, respectively, and are the half-times of the decay curves for each exponent. CL_(ss) and MRT are the steady state clearance and mean residence time, respectively, and are computed from A_(1,) A_(2,) k_(1,) and k₂ using standard pharmacokinetic formulations.

Example 8

Neuroprotection in regional brain ischemia by conjugates of BDNF and a BBB molecular Trojan horse. Numerous attempts have been made to develop neuroprotective agents for the treatment of acute stroke. There have been no successes to date because the neuroprotective drugs are either too toxic, in the case of certain small molecules, or ineffective, because the drug does not cross the BBB. BDNF is neuroprotective when injected directly in the brain in parallel with experimental stroke in rodents and regional brain ischemia. The BDNF must be injected across the skull bone into the brain, because this large molecule drug does not cross the BBB. Since the BBB is intact in the early hours after regional brain ischemia, and since BDNF does not cross the BBB, then there is no neuroprotective effect in the ischemic brain following the intravenous administration of BDNF alone. To deliver BDNF across the BBB, the neurotrophin was attached to a mouse MAb to the rat transferrin receptor (TfR). This peptidomimetic MAb carries BDNF across the BBB, and the combined BDNF-MAb conjugate is highly neuroprotective following delayed intravenous administration in experimental stroke, because the BDNF is able to cross the BBB and enter the brain from blood. Once inside the brain, and behind the BBB, the BDNF activates its cognate receptor, trkB, which then induces neuroprotection in ischemic neurons, and stops the apoptotic death cycle. The neuroprotective effect of the BDNF-MAb conjugate demonstrates a dose response effect, a time response effect, and is long-lasting, as the neuroprotection at 7 days is identical to the neuroprotection at 1 day after a single intravenous administration of the BDNF-MAb conjugate. See, e.g., Zhang and Pardridge (2001) Brain Res. 889:49-56, and Zhang and Pardridge (2001) Stroke 32:1378-1374, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. The fusion protein would also be neuroprotective in human stroke, since the BDNF is fused to an MAb to the HIR, which rapidly binds to both the human BBB in vitro, and is rapidly transported across the primate BBB in vivo.

Example 9

Neuroprotection in global brain ischemia of conjugates of BDNF and a BBB molecular Trojan horse. The direct injection of BDNF into the brain is also neuroprotective in transient forebrain ischemia (TFI), such as might occur after a cardiac arrest. However, intravenous BDNF is not neuroprotective in TFI, because the BDNF does not cross the BBB, and because the BBB is intact in the early hours after TFI, when neuroprotection is still possible. Conversely, intravenous BDNF was neuroprotective in TFI if the BDNF was attached to a mouse MAb against the rat transferrin receptor (TfR), which acts as a molecular Trojan horse to ferry the BDNF across the BBB and into brain. Adult rats were subjected to TFI, which resulted in a flat-line electroencephalogram (EEG) for approximately a 10-minute period. The animals were resuscitated and then administered 1 of 4 different therapeutics intravenously: (a) buffer, (b) unconjugated BDNF, (c) the receptor specific MAb without the BDNF attached, and (d) the BDNF-MAb conjugate. In the case of the animals treated with saline, unconjugated BDNF, or MAb alone, there was no neuroprotection of pyramidal neurons in the CA1 sector of hippocampus. However, in the case of the BDNF-MAb conjugate, there is complete normalization of CA1 pyramidal neuron density following delayed intravenous administration. See, e.g., Wu and Pardridge (199), PNAS (USA) 96:254-259, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. This shows that BDNF is strongly neuroprotective in global brain ischemia following delayed intravenous administration, providing the BDNF is attached to a BBB molecular Trojan horse. The recombinant fusion protein of BDNF and a receptor specific MAb could be given following cardiac arrest to prevent permanent brain damage.

Example 10

BDNF is neuroprotective in brain and spinal cord injury if the neurotrophin can access brain cells. BDNF is neuroprotective in brain injury, providing the neurotrophin is injected directly through the skull bone, because BDNF does not cross the BBB. BDNF is also neuroprotective in brain subjected to excitotoxic injury by neurotoxins, and is neuroprotective in brain infected with the human immune deficiency virus (HIV)-1. BDNF is also neuroprotective in acute spinal cord injury; however, the BDNF must be administered by direct infusion into the spinal canal, because the BDNF does not cross the blood-spinal cord barrier, which is the same as the BBB in the forebrain. In all these cases, the intravenous administration of BDNF would not be neuroprotective, because the BDNF does not cross the BBB, and the BBB is intact in brain injury in the early hours after the injury, when neuroprotection is still possible. Conversely, the BDNF fusion protein would be neuroprotective in these conditions following intravenous administration, because the BDNF is fused to the BBB molecular Trojan horse, and is able to penetrate the brain and spinal cord from the blood following peripheral administration.

Example 11

BDNF is neuroprotective in chronic neurodegenerative conditions of brain if the neurotrophin can access brain cells. Neurotrophins, such as BDNF can be developed as drugs for peripheral routes of administration, providing the neurotrophin is enabled to cross the BBB. Fusion of BDNF to the chimeric HIRMAb offers a new approach to the non-invasive delivery of BDNF to the brain in humans for the chronic treatment of neurodegenerative disease, including prion diseases, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), ALS, transverse myelitis, motor neuron disease, Pick's disease, tuberous sclerosis, lysosomal storage disorders, Canavan's disease, Rett's syndrome, spinocerebellar ataxias, Friedreich's ataxia, optic atrophy, and retinal degeneration, and brain aging.

Example 12

BDNF as a therapeutic in retinal degeneration and blindness. The retina, like the brain, is protected from the blood by the blood-retinal barrier (BRB). The insulin receptor is expressed on both the BBB and the BRB, and the HIRMAb has been shown to deliver therapeutics to the retina via RMT across the BRB (Zhang et al, (2003) Mol. Ther. 7: 11-18). BDNF is neuroprotective in retinal degeneration, but it was necessary to inject the neurotrophin directly into the eyeball, because BDNF does not cross the BRB. The fusion protein could be used to treat retinal degeneration and blindness with a route of administration no more invasive than an intravenous or subcutaneous injection, because the HIRMAb would deliver the BDNF across the BRB, so that the neurotrophin would be exposed to retinal neural cells from the blood compartment.

Example 13

BDNF as a therapeutic for depression. A subset of patients with depression may have a brain deficiency of BDNF, and the correlation of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with affective disorders has been reported. The direct injection of BDNF into the brain has durable anti-depressant effects in rodent model. The BDNF must be injected directly into the brain, because the neurotrophin does not cross the BBB. The chronic administration of the fusion protein would provide a means for elevating the brain levels of BDNF, and may be therapeutic in those patients with depression and a reduced production of brain BDNF.

Example 14

Method of manufacturing IgG fusion proteins. The transfection of a eukaryotic cell line with immunoglobulin G (IgG) genes generally involves the co-transfection of the cell line with separate plasmids encoding the heavy chain (HC) and the light chain (LC) comprising the IgG. In the case of a IgG fusion protein, the gene encoding the recombinant therapeutic protein may be fused to either the HC or LC gene. However, this co-transfection approach makes it difficult to select a cell line that has equally high integration of both the HC and LC-fusion genes, or the HC-fusion and LC genes. The preferred approach to manufacturing the fusion protein is the production of a cell line that is permanently transfected with a single plasmid DNA that contains all the required genes on a single strand of DNA, including the HC-fusion protein gene, the LC gene, the selection gene, e.g. neo, and the amplification gene, e.g. the dihydrofolate reductase gene. As shown in the diagram of the fusion protein tandem vector in FIG. 12, the HC-fusion gene, the LC gene, the neo gene, and the DHFR gene are all under the control of separate, but tandem promoters and separate but tandem transcription termination sequences. Therefore, all genes are equally integrated into the host cell genome, including the fusion gene of the therapeutic protein and either the HC or LC IgG gene.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in practicing the invention. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that methods and structures within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby. 

1. A composition comprising an agent covalently linked at its amino terminus to an antibody that crosses the blood brain barrier (BBB) through an endogenous BBB receptor, wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of a brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24, nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, neurotrophin (NT)-3, epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), artemin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), erythropoietin (EPO), heregulin, neuregulin, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (CSF), and saposins, the composition produces an average elevation of concentration of the agent in the brain of at least 5 ng/gram brain following peripheral administration, wherein the agent binds to a receptor and induces neuroprotection, and wherein the antibody and the agent each retain at least 30% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities.
 2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the agent has a molecular weight greater than about 400 Daltons.
 3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the agent alone does not cross the BBB in a therapeutically effective amount following peripheral administration.
 4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the endogenous BBB receptor is selected from the group consisting of the insulin receptor, transferrin receptor, leptin receptor, lipoprotein receptor, and the IGF receptor.
 5. The composition of claim 4 wherein the endogenous BBB receptor is the insulin BBB receptor.
 6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody (MAb).
 7. The composition of claim 6 wherein the MAb is a chimeric MAb.
 8. The composition of claim 7 wherein the insulin receptor is a human insulin receptor and wherein the BDNF is a human BDNF.
 9. The composition of claim 6 wherein the BDNF is covalently linked at its amino terminus to the carboxy terminus of the light chain of the MAb.
 10. The composition of claim 6 wherein the BDNF is covalently linked at its amino terminus to the carboxy terminus of the heavy chain of the MAb.
 11. The composition of claim 10 wherein the heavy chain of the MAb comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to amino acids 20-462 of SEQ ID NO:
 24. 12. The composition of claim 11 further comprising a linker between the heavy chain of the MAb and the BDNF.
 13. The composition of claim 12 wherein the linker is S-S-M.
 14. The composition of claim 13 wherein the light chain comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to amino acids 21-234 of SEQ ID NO:
 36. 15. The composition of claim 14 wherein the MAb is glycosylated.
 16. The composition of claim 1 wherein the agent comprises amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO:
 24. 17. The composition of claim 1 wherein the BDNF is a two amino acid carboxyl-truncated variant.
 18. The composition of claim 1 wherein the BDNF is a human BDNF.
 19. The composition of claim 1 wherein the BDNF comprises a sequence that is at least 95% identical to the sequence of amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO:24.
 20. The composition of claim 19 wherein the agent is BDNF.
 21. The composition of claim 20 wherein the MAb is an antibody to the insulin BBB receptor.
 22. A composition comprising the composition of claim 1 and a second composition comprising a second agent covalently linked to a second antibody that crosses the blood brain barrier (BBB).
 23. The composition of claim 22 wherein the first and second agents are different, and the first and second antibodies that cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) are the same antibody.
 24. The composition of claim 23 wherein the first agent is covalently linked to the heavy chain of the first antibody and the second agent is covalently linked to the heavy chain of the second antibody.
 25. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises BDNF, GDNF, or EGF.
 26. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises EGF.
 27. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises EPO.
 28. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of: BDNF comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24, NGF, neurotrophin-4/5, NT-3, EGF, TGF-α, GDNF, neurturin, PDGF, artemin, BMPs, and saposins.
 29. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the composition of claim 1, 19, 10, or 9 and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
 30. A composition comprising an agent covalently linked at its amino terminus to a MAb to the human BBB insulin receptor, wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of a BDNF comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24, neurotrophin-4/5, neurotrophin (NT)-3, epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, artemin, glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), and saposins, wherein the MAb comprises a heavy chain and a light chain, wherein the agent binds to a receptor and induces neuroprotection.
 31. The composition of claim 30, wherein the agent is the BDNF comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO:
 24. 32. The composition of claim 31, wherein the BDNF comprises an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO:24.
 33. The composition of claim 32 wherein the BDNF comprises amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO:24.
 34. The composition of claim 32 wherein the BDNF is a two amino acid carboxyl-terminal truncated BDNF.
 35. The composition of claim 31 wherein the heavy chain of the MAb is covalently linked to the BDNF to form a fusion protein, and wherein the sequence of said fusion protein comprises a first sequence that is at least 80% identical to amino acids 20-462 of SEQ ID NO: 24 and a second sequence that is at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO:
 24. 36. The composition of claim 35 wherein the MAb is glycosylated.
 37. The composition of claim 35 wherein the light chain of the MAb comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to amino acids 21-234 of SEQ ID NO:
 36. 38. The composition of claim 37 further comprising a peptide linker between the carboxyl terminus of the first sequence and the amino terminus of the second sequence.
 39. The composition of claim 38 wherein the linker comprises S-S-M.
 40. The composition of claim 39 wherein the MAb is glycosylated.
 41. The composition of claim 30, wherein the antibody and the agent each retain an average of at least 40% of their activities.
 42. A composition for treating a neurological disorder comprising a BDNF covalently linked at its amino terminus to an immunoglobulin that crosses the blood brain barrier, wherein the BDNF binds to a TrkB receptor and is effective to induce neuroprotection, and wherein the covalently linked BDNF crosses the BBB in an amount that is effective in treating the neurological disorder.
 43. The composition of claim 42, wherein the antibody and the agent each retain an average of at least 40% of their activities.
 44. A composition comprising an agent covalently linked at its amino terminus to an immunoglobulin, wherein the agent in the composition has a serum half-life that is an average of at least 5-fold greater than the serum half-life of the agent alone, the agent is selected from the group consisting of a BDNF comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24, artemin, neurotrophin-4/5, neurotrophin (NT)-3, epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), and saposins, wherein the agent binds to a receptor and induces neuroprotection and wherein the immunoglobulin is an antibody to an endogenous BBB receptor.
 45. The composition of claim 44 wherein the agent is the BDNF comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO:24.
 46. The composition of claim 44, wherein the antibody and the agent each retain an average of at least 40% of their activities.
 47. The composition of claim 1 or 44, wherein said agent binds to a receptor and induces neuroprotection in a human.
 48. A composition for treating a neurological disorder comprising a agent covalently linked at its amino terminus to an immunoglobulin that crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB), wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of a brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24, nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, neurotrophin (NT)-3, and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), wherein the agent binds to a receptor and induces neuroprotection, and wherein the covalently-linked agent crosses the BBB in an amount that is effective in treating the neurological disorder and wherein the agent and the immunoglobulin each retain at least 30% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities.
 49. The composition of claim 48, wherein the endogenous BBB receptor is selected from the group consisting of the insulin receptor, transferrin receptor, leptin receptor, lipoprotein receptor, and the IGF receptor.
 50. The composition of claim 48, wherein the immunoglobulin is a MAb to the human BBB insulin receptor and wherein the MAb comprises a heavy chain and a light chain.
 51. The composition of claim 48, wherein the neurotrophin in the composition has a serum half-life that is an average of at least 5-fold greater than the serum half-life of the neurotrophin alone.
 52. A fusion protein comprising: (i) an antibody that crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB), covalently linked to (ii) the amino terminus of an agent selected from the group consisting of a brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24, nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, neurotrophin (NT)-3, epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), artemin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), erythropoietin (EPO), heregulin, neuregulin, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (CSF), and saposins, wherein the antibody and the agent each retain at least 30% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities, and wherein the agent binds to a receptor and induces neuroprotection.
 53. The fusion protein of claim 52 wherein the immunogloblulin crosses the BBB on an endogenous BBB receptor.
 54. The fusion protein of claim 53 wherein the endogenous BBB receptor is selected from the group consisting of the insulin receptor, transferrin receptor, leptin receptor, lipoprotein receptor, and the IGF receptor.
 55. The fusion protein of claim 54 wherein the endogenous BBB receptor is selected from the group consisting of the insulin receptor and the transferrin receptor.
 56. The fusion protein of claim 55 wherein the endogenous BBB receptor is the insulin receptor.
 57. The fusion protein of claim 56 wherein the insulin receptor is the human insulin receptor.
 58. The fusion protein of claim 52 wherein the antibody is a MAb.
 59. The fusion protein of claim 58 wherein the MAb is a chimeric MAb.
 60. The fusion protein of claim 52 wherein the antibody is an antibody to an endogenous BBB receptor-mediated receptor.
 61. The fusion protein of claim 60 wherein the endogenous BBB receptor is selected from the group consisting of the insulin receptor, transferrin receptor, leptin receptor, lipoprotein receptor, and the IGF receptor.
 62. The fusion protein of claim 61 wherein the endogenous BBB receptor is selected from the group consisting of the insulin receptor and the transferrin receptor.
 63. The fusion protein of claim 62 wherein the endogenous BBB receptor is the insulin receptor.
 64. The fusion protein of claim 63 wherein the insulin receptor is the human insulin receptor.
 65. The fusion protein of claim 52 wherein the agent is the BDNF comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO:
 24. 66. The fusion protein of claim 65 wherein the BDNF is a truncated BDNF.
 67. The fusion protein of claim 66 wherein the truncated BDNF is a carboxyl-truncated BDNF.
 68. The fusion protein of claim 67 wherein the carboxyl-truncated BDNF is lacking the two carboxyl terminal amino acids.
 69. The fusion protein of claim 52 wherein the antibody and the agent are covalently linked by a peptide linker.
 70. The fusion protein of claim 52, wherein the fusion protein comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of: BDNF comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24, NGF, neurotrophin-4/5, NT-3, EGF, TGF-α, GDNF, neurturin, PDGF, artemin, BMPs, and saposins.
 71. The fusion protein of claim 52, wherein the fusion protein comprises BDNF, GDNF, or EGF.
 72. The fusion protein of claim 52, wherein the fusion protein comprises EGF.
 73. The fusion protein of claim 52, wherein the fusion protein comprises EPO.
 74. A fusion protein comprising: (i) an antibody that crosses the blood brain barrier (BBB), covalently linked to (ii) the amino terminus of an agent selected from the group consisting of a brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to amino acids 466-582 of SEQ ID NO: 24, nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5, neurotrophin (NT)-3, and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), wherein the antibody and the neurotrophin each retain at least 30% of their activities, compared to their activities as separate entities, and wherein the agent binds to a receptor and induces neuroprotection.
 75. The fusion protein of claim 74, wherein the antibody crosses the BBB by binding an endogenous BBB receptor selected from the group consisting of the insulin receptor, transferrin receptor, leptin receptor, lipoprotein receptor, and the IGF receptor.
 76. The fusion protein of claim 75, wherein the antibody is a MAb to the human BBB insulin receptor and wherein the MAb comprises a heavy chain and a light chain.
 77. The fusion protein of claim 74, wherein the neurotrophin in the fusion protein has a serum half-life that is an average of at least 5-fold greater than the serum half-life of the neurotrophin alone.
 78. The fusion protein of claim 52 or 74, wherein said agent binds to a receptor and induces neuroprotection in a human.
 79. A method of transport of an agent active in the CNS from the peripheral circulation across the BBB in an effective amount, comprising peripherally administering to an individual the composition of claim
 1. 80. The method of claim 79 wherein the agent is a neurotherapeutic agent.
 81. A method for treating a CNS disorder in an individual comprising peripherally administering to the individual an effective amount of the composition of claim
 1. 82. The method of claim 81 wherein the antibody is an antibody to an insulin receptor and the therapeutic agent comprises a BDNF.
 83. The method of claim 82 wherein the administering is selected from the group consisting of oral, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, rectal, transbuccal, intranasal, transdermal, and inhalation administering.
 84. The method of claim 83 wherein the administering is intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous.
 85. The method of claim 81 wherein the CNS disorder is an acute CNS disorder.
 86. The method of claim 85 wherein the acute CNS disorder is selected from the group consisting of spinal cord injury, brain injury, focal brain ischemia and global brain ischemia.
 87. The method of claim 85 wherein the composition is administered only once.
 88. The method of claim 85 wherein the composition is administered at a frequency of no greater than about once per week.
 89. The method of claim 81 wherein the CNS disorder is a chronic disorder.
 90. The method of claim 89 wherein the chronic disorder is selected from the group consisting of chronic neurodegenerative disease, retinal ischemia, and depression.
 91. The method of claim 90 wherein the chronic neurodegenerative disease is selected from the group consisting of prion diseases, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis, motor neuron disease, Pick's disease, tuberous sclerosis, lysosomal storage disorders, Canavan's disease, Rett's syndrome, spinocerebellar ataxias, Friedreich's ataxia, optic atrophy, and retinal degeneration.
 92. The method of claim 81 wherein the individual is a human.
 93. The method of claim 92 wherein the individual is administered a dose of the composition that is about 1 to about 100 mg. 